Q: Will Forrest Lamp work his way into the starting lineup at all this year? – Tyler S.
A: Questions about Lamp come in every single week, and I understand why. He is a talented, young player with a bright future. But there is no reason for the Bolts to tinker with a starting unit that has been one of the best in the NFL. The offensive line has paved the way for the Chargers to average 4.89 yards per carry, which is the fourth best mark in the league and second best in the AFC. They've created large holes for Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler to burst through as the Bolts' 35 runs of at least 10 yards ranks second in the NFL and is the best mark in the AFC. Meanwhile, they've kept Philip Rivers upright as the quarterback has been sacked just 10 times. That's tied for the third fewest sacks allowed on the year, just one less than the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints who've allowed only nine. So, while I understand the interest in Lamp, there is zero reason for the Chargers to tinker with what's been working thus far.
Q: Ricky I am impressed by Tyrell Williams' last few weeks. I think he is the most improved player from last year to this year. Do you agree? – Richard Ruiz
A: Tyrell has been playing out of his mind, but I would not call him the team's most improved player. I mean, we're talking about a wideout who already has a 1,000-yard season under his belt and has long established himself as one of the top deep threats in the game. If forced to name just one guy, I have to go with Michael Davis. The cornerback came to the Bolts a year ago with a ton of raw potential, and while he flashed at times, was relegated largely to special teams duty. In fact, he played just 37 defensive snaps in 15 games, so he was on the field a mere four percent of the time the defense was out there. This year he's forced his way at times onto defense in addition to his valuable contributions on special teams. He's played 46 snaps on defense through seven games, which represents 10 percent of the team's overall plays on that side of the ball. You may have missed it, but Davis had blanket coverage on the intended target for the pivotal two-point conversion stop that won the Titans game for the Bolts. The 6-2, 196-pound 23-year-old still has a lot of room to grow, but I've been very impressed by his improvement year-over-year. This question really intrigued me, so I also ran it by Hayley Elwood, and she named Mike Williams. She admitted it's the low-hanging fruit answer, but it's also hard to argue with considering his contributions this year over last.
Q: No question but wanted to give you props for your fantasy football rant last week. Good stuff. – Steven Wohl
A: Ha, thanks Steve! I got a couple comments supporting my stance after my “rant” last week…but also a good amount who disagree. Not going to rehash the whole thing again, but loyalty to your real life actual football team should always come first.
