The Chargers got back to work Monday following the bye week by holding a light practice on Monday.
The Bolts are back in action Sunday in Denver for a Week 6 divisional tilt against the Broncos.
With that in mind, here are five Chargers players to watch following the bye week:
Poona Ford
Don't look now, but the Chargers appear to have a stout run defense for the first time in years.
Entering Week 6, the Bolts currently rank fourth defensively in EPA per rush in at -0.198. For context, the Chargers ranked 25th in this stat a year ago and were 32nd in both 2022 and 2021.
A big reason for the turnaround? The play of defensive lineman Poona Ford, who has turned into an unheralded player upfront after signing as a free agent this offseason.
Ford currently ranks 14th with a PFF grade of 67.1 among defensive linemen who have played at least 60 run defense snaps this season.
The Bolts inability to stop the run affected both sides of the ball in recent years, but that mentality seems to have shifted under Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter.
Ford has led the way as a key cog in the middle of the Bolts defense and continued strong play up front would be massive for the Chargers.
Joe Alt
The Chargers rookie first-round pick didn't play in Week 4, but that doesn't overshadow how impressive he's been early in his first season.
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Alt currently ranks 13th among all offensive tackles who have played at least 170 snaps with an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 77.0. The former Notre Dame standout also ranks first among all rookie tackles in grading, too.
And while Alt didn't play in Week 4, he was present and involved at practice Wednesday before the bye week and again on Monday afternoon, a good sign for Alt's knee injury
It's worth noting that fellow tackle Rashawn Slater was not at Wednesday's practice and worked off to the side on Monday.
If Slater can't play in Week 6 in Denver, perhaps Alt slides from right tackle to the left side. Alt primarily played left tackle in college before switching to the right side upon joining the Bolts.
No matter where he plays, Alt has shown he belongs in the NFL and will be an integral part of the Chargers offense for years to come.
Kristian Fulton
If Ford has been a pleasant surprise in the trenches, Fulton gets the same appreciation in the secondary.
Like Ford, Fulton also joined the Bolts as a free-agent signing this offseason and has been stellar thus far.
Fulton, a 2020 second-round pick with the Titans, seems to have fully tapped into his potential early in his tenure in powder blue.
Among cornerbacks with at least 140 coverage snaps so far this season, Fulton ranks fifth with a PFF coverage grade of 82.3.
Fulton has also been targeted just 12 times among cornerbacks with that many coverage snaps, tied with Jalen Ramsey for the fewest targets among players in that group.
Put another way, quarterbacks appear to be hesitant to throw Fulton's way at times. And the 26-year-old is playing like a No. 1 cornerback a quarter of the way through the 2024 season.
Nick Niemann
Entering Week 6, the Chargers are tied for 20th with a PFF special teams grade of 71.2.
The possible return of Nick Niemann could help give the Bolts a boost there.
Niemann is one of the Chargers top special teams players but hasn't played this season after beginning the year on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury.
Niemann has since missed the necessary four games and returned to practice last Tuesday when the Bolts opened his 21-day window.
If Niemann can be his usual self in the third phase of the game, the Chargers could get a jolt and try and turn some of their late, close losses into wins over the next few months.
Niemann ranked 10th in the NFL in PFF special teams grade (83.5) in 2023 among players with at least 300 snaps.
DJ Chark
Like Niemann, Chark also began the season on Injured Reserve, meaning he has to miss a minimum of four games.
The wide receiver continues to work off to the side at practice but hasn't returned to action yet, although the hope is that he mades his Chargers debut at some point soon.
When Chark does see the field, perhaps he can be a difference maker for a passing attack that hasn't found its footing yet in 2024.
Injuries — to both Justin Herbert and along the offensive line — have played a role in that, as has an increased focus in establishing the run game.
Chark is a big-bodied receiver (6-foot-3 and 200 pounds) with strong speed who could help open up the pass game after showing a strong rapport with Herbert during training camp.
