Team news: Chicago Bears | Page 49

Travis Benjamin has been one of the breakout performers through the first two weeks of training camp, making big plays on a regular basis.

And that continued in last weekend’s preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks. Benjamin got behind Seattle’s secondary and Kellen Clemens hit him in stride for a 74-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

Related players: Keenan Allen, Antonio Gates, Hunter Henry

Benjamin is now fully healthy from a PCL knee sprain and says he has a better understanding of the offense which has given him more confidence. The hope for the Chargers is Benjamin's vertical threat opens up room for Allen, Gates and Henry.

Rivers played 15-plus games without having Keenan Allen in the lineup. Allen tore his ACL in the first game of the season, leaving him with just six catches for 63 yards to show for the year.

Allen, who also missed eight games with a lacerated kidney in 2015, was working on the field with the team during OTAs this spring and Rivers said he doesn’t think anyone will notice a difference in the wideout’s play.

“I really think he looks as good as he did before he got hurt,” Rivers said on The Rich Eisen Show.

In nine games he’s played over the past two seasons – yes, injuries are obviously a red flag – Keenan Allen has averaged 8.1 receptions for 88 yards and 0.44 TD (19.5 PPG). For his career, he is averaging 5.8 catches for 69 yards and 0.42 TD (15.3 PPG). If he stays healthy, he should provide low-end WR2 numbers, but has WR1 upside. The emergence of Tyrell Williams is a concern for Allen’s volume.

The Los Angeles Chargers are still hoping to avoid it, but first-round pick Mike Williams might need back surgery on his herniated disk that would end his rookie season, league sources tell ESPN.

Williams recently received a second epidural on his herniated disk in a last-ditch effort to have him ready at some time during training camp, though the Chargers are preparing as if he will not be ready by that time, per sources.

The team still is hoping that Williams will respond positively to the second epidural, but also knows there's a real chance he will not and his rookie year will be over before it begins.

Related players: Tyrell Williams, Keenan Allen, Travis Benjamin, Dontrelle Inman

This is obviously devastating news for Williams, but there have been negative reports surrounding the back all offseason. This is a big boost for Tyrell Williams' stock, and he'll no longer be flying under the radar in early drafts. He had a terrific 2016 season, showed very well as a route-runner, and should still be able to produce with Keenan Allen back in the lineup.

The Chargers seem unlikely to do anything radical from a personnel standpoint in the aftermath of Keenan Allen’s injury.

Generally speaking, there is little to do.

Maneuvering a trade is easier said than done. This is not like baseball, a sport in which a left-handed bat simply can be plugged into the clean-up spot. Any wide receiver who joins the club would need to learn the playbook on the fly and build a rapport with quarterback Philip Rivers. That is partly why such midseason deals are fairly uncommon in the NFL.

Isaiah Burse, Dontrelle Inman, Travis Benjamin and Tyrell Williams look like they will have to pick things with Allen out. Dom Williams could be added from the practice squad, the story said. It doesn't appear likely James Jones will return at this point, according to the story. Williams could see the biggest jump in playing time with Allen out.

Chargers WR Keenan Allen has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury yesterday, while Joey Bosa has been placed on the 53-man roster.

Technically, Allen could still end up getting the return designation, under the new rule that allows a team to declare after a player has been on injured reserve for six weeks that he will return. But from all indications the injury was season-ending.

Keenan Allen's return from a season-ending kidney injury last year took a dreadful turn in San Diego's 33-27 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Based on initial tests, Allen suffered a suspected torn ACL during the second quarter of the game, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Allen was down on the field in pain before being carted off the field. The team confirmed that he suffered a right knee injury.

It's a huge blow to the Chargers offense and QB Philip Rivers takes a bit of a hit to his fantasy value. The Chargers may have to turn to the run a little more going forward, especially with Melvin Gordon looking good in Week 1. But Tyrell Williams finished with 2 catches for 71 yards and drew a lot of positive press this summer. He's a name to watch for as a guy to get more snaps and targets, likely on the outside with Dontrelle Inman remaining in the slot. Travis Benjamin moves to the WR1 spot.