San Diego Charged For a Championship

Last Season, the San Diego Chargers thought the sky was the limit and the Super Bowl was a definite possibility. After a last second touchdown in the opening week of the season by the Carolina Panthers to win the game, the Chargers were also shocked to find out Pro Bowl linebacker Shawn Merriman would be out for the season due to a knee injury.

The season looked to be a failure with three games left and three games out of first place. Then out of nowhere, the Chargers were given help by the miserable play of the Denver Broncos and Darren Sproles playing like a No. 1 running back. This resulted in a playoff appearance, where the Chargers were able to advance to the Divisional Playoff Round.

The Good

Even though the Chargers had a roller-coaster season, there was much good that came out of it. Wide receiver Vincent Jackson proved he could be Rivers’ primary target, Darren Sproles showed us he is capable of being the future back for the Chargers, resulting in a five-year extension.

Phillip Rivers showed the league he is a top-five quarterback by throwing 34 touchdowns last year. He also had a 105.5 quarterback rating, which ranked first in the NFL.

In April the Chargers drafted linebacker Larry English with their first round pick and signed linebacker Kevin Burnett, making the Chargers’ linebacker core the best in the NFL.

Why is it the best? Maybe it's because linebacker Shawn Merriman is back and healthy. The defense clearly missed Merriman and his average of 16-sacks-per-year. Now he is back and the Chargers are a legitimate contender to make it to the Super Bowl.

The Bad

There aren't many negative statements to make about the Chargers coming into '09. LT (LaDainian Tomlinson) will be 30, but reports out of Chargers camp have said LT is geared for a break-out year.

The Chargers also lost guard Mike Goff who, along with center Nick Hardwick, anchored the offensive line last year. The biggest loss was defensive end Igor Olshansky, who was a regular presence last year as part of a struggling defensive line.

The Ugly

The Chargers play Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Oakland, which could all end up as “too ugly for television” kind of games. The scores will be lopsided and the Chargers will establish dominance.

Fantasy

Pick anyone. LT is still a No. 1 running back. Gates is a top-three tight end. Vincent Jackson is a solid No. 2 with upside.

Even Rivers is a top fantasy quarterback (especially in the AFC West) and the defense should be a machine with Merriman and English joining defensive tackle Jamaal Williams and cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

Also, kicker Nate Kaeding is a top-three fantasy kicker. One player to maybe avoid is wide receiver Chris Chambers, as he has fallen into the No. 2 spot on the team and is one year older. The sleeper is Darren Sproles, who could put up huge numbers, even if LT is back on his game.

Prediction

12-4, 1^st place