After undergoing changes across the board this offseason, the Los Angeles Chargers are a team full of optimism heading into the 2024 NFL season.
That optimism centers around the fact that the team hired the head coach that just won the College Football National Championship, Jim Harbaugh. Though the team went 5-12 last season, a quick turnaround is something many fans and those within the league expect as a real possibility.
The Chargers will still be led by the same stars. Justin Herbert, Joey Bosa, and Derwin James will be relied on to play key roles. But football is the ultimate team sport and it takes a full 53-man roster (and often more than that) to reach the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl.
That means that some role players will need to step up and come out of the shadows to make big plays for the team. Looking at the full roster of the Chargers, these three players may not be thought of highly by the masses, but they could all play a huge factor in the success of the Chargers in 2024.
Los Angeles Chargers' 3 most underrated players
Ja'Sir Taylor, Cornerback
If there is a question mark on this roster right now, it might be the cornerback position.
The Chargers signed veteran Kristian Fulton this offseason to pair with Asante Samuel Jr. on the outside. But in today's NFL, an effective slot corner is necessary, and Ja'Sir Taylor is that. He hasn't gotten much recognition around the league for that, but that could be changing.
Ja'Sir Taylor of the @chargers started to show up as a prime slot defender in his second season. When you can annoy Travis Kelce to this degree, it's a good sign. pic.twitter.com/jgCtYXxFsC
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) June 5, 2024
The Chargers added a couple of cornerbacks in the fifth round of the draft, Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, so this group could be much better than most think this coming season, but the play of Taylor could be the biggest factor.
Derius Davis, Wide Receiver
As a fourth-round pick in 2023, Derius Davis was a popular pick to turn in a good year as a rookie. But in a deep receiving corps, he merely got his feet wet.
He caught 15 passes as a rookie and was given 14 rushing attempts as the team looked to take advantage of his elite speed and ability to create mismatches on the field. He also chipped in with 759 kick return yards and could be a major weapon for the team with the new kick return rules in 2024.
But in the passing game, the Chargers no longer have Keenan Allen or Mike Williams. Josh Palmer and second-round pick Ladd McConkey are the team's top receivers but it is wide open after that. There is a perfect opening for Davis to be the guy that many thought he would be last season.
Hayden Hurst, Tight End
With Herbert at quarterback, the Chargers have one of the league's best quarterbacks. Often, a reliable tight end can be a quarterback's best friend.
The Chargers signed both Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst as free agents this offseason to shore up the position but Hurst is the bigger playmaker of the two.
A former first-round pick who is still just 30 years old, Hurst has 195 career receptions and should see plenty of chances to make an impact in 2024.
