Ladd McConkey Has Always Been the Chargers’ Top Option

Over the last two weeks, Ladd McConkey has reminded everyone just how elite he can be, taking a clear step out of the shadows. His performance against the Dolphins was a statement game that forced skeptics to recollect how crucial he is to the Chargers’ success.

Slow Start to the Season

Through the first four weeks of the season, McConkey’s production had been minimal. With Quentin Johnston emerging as an actual vertical threat, Keenan Allen back for third-down magic, and Omarion Hampton’s integration into the offense, McConkey’s opportunities felt limited. In Weeks 1-4, he averaged 6.75 targets for 43.5 yards and zero touchdowns.

But lately, he’s started to reclaim his spot as L.A.’s number one option. In the past two games, he’s averaged eight targets for 69.5 yards, with a touchdown in each game.

In the game against the Commanders, McConkey showed flashes again. He had his first touchdown of the season, along with a punt return that was eventually called back.

But then came the shootout in Miami. With Johnston nursing a hamstring injury and ruled out, McConkey stepped into a massive role.

The Play That Won the Game

Trailing late, with less than a minute on the clock, Justin Herbert delivered one of his most impressive escapes of his career, avoiding a sack and getting the ball out to McConkey on a screen pass. What followed was perfect execution.

McConkey shook Dolphins defenders and took off 42 yards down the sideline, which immediately put the Chargers in field goal range.

That single play set up Cameron Dicker’s 33-yard game-winner with five seconds left, turning a 27–26 deficit into a 29–27 win for Los Angeles.

But it wasn’t just that play. In the third quarter, he hauled in the Chargers’ first touchdown pass, adding to their lead. By the end, he had seven receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown, far surpassing anything he’d done earlier in the season.