A Fantasy read on the San Diego Chargers

Fantasy owners have an on-again, off-again relationship with Chargers wide receiver Chris Chambers.

After notching seven scores and 883 yards as a rookie, he let people down in his sophomore season (734 yards, three touchdowns). Chambers did well in his third season (963 yards, 11 touchdowns) and began wooing Fantasy owners again before cooling off in 2004 (898 yards, seven touchdowns). Then, like clockwork, Chambers excelled in '05, matching his career-high in touchdowns with 11 and adding a career-best 1,118 yards on 82 catches (also a career-high). Only until 2006 and 2007 did Chambers have "down" years consecutively -- a 677-yard, four-TD season in '06 was followed by a 970-yard, four-TD effort in '07, though Chambers was shipped to San Diego from Miami at the trade deadline, which might have put a crimp in his stats (as if his year with the lowly Dolphins didn't).

So are we "on" or "off" with Chambers this season?

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Considering his current situation with the Chargers, there's much to like. While both of his 100-yard games came as a Dolphin in '07, the four touchdowns Chambers had last season all came while wearing powder blue, not aqua. In addition, Chambers hauled in 16 balls for 278 yards and a score in the playoffs, culminating his stats as a Charger at 51 catches for 833 yards (a whopping 16.3 avg.) and five touchdowns over just 13 games.

Stretch those numbers out over 16 games, and you've got a reliable low-end No. 2/top-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver, which happens to be his status on our rank lists heading into the preseason.

But is he capable of better, or did he benefit from the Chargers' new-fangled pass attack with tight end Antonio Gates banged up last season?

Positives: Chambers is established as one of the better deep-threat options in the NFL. He had 16 receptions for 20-plus yards last year and has 43 such grabs over his last three seasons. He's also matched or topped a 13.0 yards per catch average in all but one of his seven seasons. Chambers will also be playing in San Diego where it's unlikely that he'll see a lot of double coverage since he shares the playing field with RB LaDainian Tomlinson as well as the athletic Gates. Having Norv Turner orchestrate the offense is also a huge plus -- Turner led Chambers to one of his 11-touchdown seasons in 2003.

Negatives: Because that offense has Tomlinson, the likelihood of Chambers having huge yardage days is slim. Last year, for example, Chambers didn't top 100 yards in any contest as a Bolt until the postseason win vs. Tennessee. History is also working against Chambers: The last time the Chargers had a 1,000-yard receiver was in 2001 (Gates did it in 2005 with a 1,101-yard season, but he's not a wide receiver). Speaking of Gates, his role in the offense will also limit the number of passes Chambers will have thrown his way over the course of the season. Chambers' phenomenal run late last year was partially due to Gates being sidelined with a toe injury.

Outlook: Chambers is a borderline candidate for 1,000 receiving yards and shouldn't be expected for any more than six touchdowns. However, because he's likely to provide 60-90 receiving yards per week, he'll be a consistent top-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver for your team in smaller leagues and a low-end No. 2 in deeper leagues. He's worth a middle-round pick.

Position battle: No. 2 running back

Darren Sproles Pro: Sproles has break-neck speed and decent receiving skills. He had 122 rush yards and two touchdowns in a blowout win vs. Detroit late last season. Con: Sproles is small (5-foot-6), light (181 pounds) and fairly frail (broken left leg in 2006). He's not a typical interior rusher and unlikely to be seen at the goal line.

Jacob Hester Pro: Hester is not only a solid blocker but is also a fine receiver out of the backfield. The Chargers loved his work ethic and spent a third-round pick on him. Con: Hester doesn't have much speed and will have to battle for playing time as well as touches this summer. Upper-body bulk is an issue, and he's not likely to have many big plays. Marcus Thomas Pro: A strong rusher with deceptive speed and good hands, Thomas is a former three-sport athlete who can block and work well in short-yardage situations. Con: Thomas lacks explosiveness and acceleration, limiting his effectiveness on the field. He has also reportedly struggled to learn the Chargers' playbook thus far. Prediction: Sproles has the speed, Hester has the versatility and Thomas has the strength. All three will work if Tomlinson goes down with an injury, but Sproles is the best Fantasy option until Hester or Thomas solidifies a regular role with marginal, if not consistent, statistical production. Maybe now you see why Tomlinson is such a coveted running back -- it takes three people to replace him!