The Chargers' rookie performance in Week 8 is a validation

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Chargers entered this season with only one receiver – DJ Chark Jr. – who had 1,000 yards in a season. They passed up the top wide receiver with the No. 5 pick in the draft and selected tackle Joe Alt. Then, in the second round, they traded for receiver Ladd McConkey, a player they believed was good enough to do so to produce season.

General manager Joe Hortiz has faced questions about this draft decision since he was named to his position in February and was replaced by receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

In seven weeks, McConkey hadn't had a breakout game or established himself as the receiver-defender he needed to game plan while other rookie wide receivers contributed. Alt shined early and was consistent, but suffered an MCL sprain that sidelined him for one game.

In Week 8, McConkey and Alt had their best performances of the season in the Chargers' 26-8 victory over the New Orleans Saints. As much as it was a crucial win for this team to remain a playoff contender, it was also a day of vindication for Hortiz and the rest of the Chargers front office. Sunday was the first sign this season that Hortiz may have drafted two franchise mainstays with his first two picks as general manager.

McConkey's nine-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter was the best representation of the two rookies proving their worth on Sunday.

When the ball was snapped, Alt easily caught a stunt – a move by the Saints defensive line in which players swap roles in their gap responsibilities to confuse the offensive line. Herbert rolled left before throwing the ball to McConkey, who jumped over Saints free safety Ugo Amadi for the score. The catch reminded coach Jim Harbaugh of former Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith Sr., also a teammate of Harbaugh's on the 2001 Panthers.

“It's like they both have this ability and this ability to almost look one way and then catch it just a few yards the other way,” Harbaugh said. “It's really subtle, it's really good.

Alt and Left attack Rashawn Slater with a high-five in celebration. McConkey and receiver Simi Fehoko staged a choreographed celebration that included a head slap to show McConkey going up and over the defender's head for the score.

“It feels like Ladd puts up 200 yards every single practice,” Fehoko said. “He’s capable of breaking that in every single game. I mean, it was good just seeing it in person and seeing it actually come out here in the game.”

McConkey finished the game with six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns. He is the Chargers' first rookie wide receiver with 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in a game since Allen in 2013. He is third in rookie receiving touchdowns (4) and fourth in rookie receiving yards per game (53.7) .

“He’s a complete receiver,” quarterback Justin Herbert said. He continued: “For him to be able to play both inside and outside, we have a real ballplayer on our hands.”

Alt has emerged as a dominant player since the Chargers' Week 1 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, where he allowed no pressures in 11 pass-blocking snaps against All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby. Then Alt suffered an MCL sprain in the Chargers' loss to the Steelers. In that game, Alt faced off against fullback TJ Watt and allowed a sack. Alt said he learned in this game that he needs to be quicker when the ball is snapped and that he will carry that forward.

Five weeks later, after recovering from his injury, Alt had one of his best games of the year. Alt did not allow pressure on any of his 38 pass-blocking snaps against the Saints, making him the most snaps without pressure allowed by a rookie tackle in the last three seasons.

“We expected him to be great. I expect him to get even better,” Hortiz said. He continued: “We knew we were getting a good player and a great player in Joe. We knew it and believed it, and it has worked so far.”

The breakout game for McConkey came after one of his most disappointing games of the season in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals. McConkey had two drops and was discouraged in the locker room after the loss, but promised he would get better going forward.

“We wanted to get back on track offensively after last week,” McConkey said. “We have to score five field goals (in the Cardinals’ loss) (touchdowns). We can do that this week – it was huge.”

McConkey has been one of Herbert's favorite targets since OTAs. Herbert said McConkey is “friendly to the quarterback” because he doesn't allow defenders to get behind him and runs back toward catches.

“It's just one of those things that you have a hard time teaching receivers that you've learned it,” Herbert said. “He’s natural at it and I think that’s why he was so good.”