Chargers wide receiver Josh Palmer entered the 2022 season expected to have a big role behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. But when injuries struck, the importance of Palmer became that much bigger.
The second-year receiver stepped up in a big way, especially in the middle portion of the season. Palmer shined, especially when Allen and/or Williams were out of the lineup, making big catches and stepping up when needed.
Palmer was recognized by NFL.com's Nick Shook as the Chargers' "unsung hero" of the season, as his play without some other top targets was crucial to the Bolts season.
Shook wrote:
The Chargers spent much of the 2022 season playing without Keenan Allen and/or Mike Williams, forcing Justin Herbert to rely on lesser-known targets. One of those targets was Palmer, a wideout who played a marginal role in his first NFL season before more than doubling his yardage output out of necessity in Year 2.
_Palmer finished with 72 catches for 769 yards and three touchdowns, filling in and capitalizing on the opportunity. Los Angeles was clearly a better team with Williams and Allen both available, but Palmer deserves commendation for doing a solid job of replacing them when required. _
Take a look at some of the best photos of the Chargers third round draft pick, Josh Palmer!!
Palmer's rookie season in 2021 finished on a high note, and he carried the momentum in his second year. He finished with 72 receptions for 769 yards and led all wide receivers with 898 offensive snaps.
His biggest games came Weeks 9 and 11, as he put up 106 receiving yards in each contest. In Week 9 against Atlanta, Palmer came up clutch when the Chargers needed him the most.
Not only did he have his first 100-yard game in the NFL, he also had the most important catch of the day, a big 22-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter that set up the Bolts to kick the game-winning field goal. In a game where the Chargers were missing both Allen and Williams, the contributions of Palmer were much-needed and he made the most of his opportunities.
In just his second season, Palmer established himself as reliable target for Herbert, and his solid year was a positive development for an offense that was missing pieces at different times throughout the course of the regular season.
To read Shook's full list, click here.
