Chargers Week 10 Rookie Report: JT Woods earns first NFL snaps vs. 49ers

Rookue safety JT Woods was active and started the game on defense for the Chargers who deployed a specific personnel group that allowed him to see the field as a third safety. Both Jamaree Salyer and Zion Johnson were respectable but struggled at times against a tough 49ers front.

Spiller was also the team’s RB2 on the night, but the ground game was nowhere to be found once again.

Let’s go ahead and check out how the Chargers’ seven rookies fared against the Niners in week 10.

OG Zion Johnson

Johnson allowed three pressures against the Niners, second most on the team behind Foster Sarell’s five. He posted middling numbers with a 59.4 in run blocking and a 44.6 in pass blocking. This is the third game in the past four where Johnson has allowed three or more pressures. This is in stark contrast to his first five games where he allowed multiple pressures in just two during that stretch.

Johnson continues to be “fine”, but his early impact on the line remains much less than Slater’s was a year ago.

Stock direction: Down

S JT Woods

Woods was active against the Niners! Not only that, but he technically earned the first start of his career since he was on the field for the defense’s first play of the game. That’s a step forward! He ended with just five snaps but posted a decent 60.9 overall game grade.

Stock direction: Up

RB Isaiah Spiller

Spiller once again played the role of the team’s RB2 against the Niners. Unfortunately, the entire run game was non-existent against the NFL’s top defense. He finished with just three yards on four carries and 10 total snaps on the night. His overall grade (48.4) was hurt the most by his 20.9 in pass protection.

Stock direction: Down

DL Otito Ogbonnia

Ogbonnia was the first of two injuries to the defensive tackle position on Sunday night. After the Chargers defense forced a field goal by the 49ers inside their own 10-yard line, Ogbonnia came up holding his left leg. He promptly was helped off the field and did return.

We should learn more about his injury later on Monday.

Stock direction: Down

OL Jamaree Salyer

Salyer was once again solid against a tough 49ers pass rush. The entire line struggled to get the run game going, however, which led to some low run blocks grades across the entire front five. Salyer ended with a porous 42.3 as a run blocker but his pass block grade of 81.7 was the second-highest on the team to Corey Linsley’s 81.9.

Stock direction: Same

CB Ja’Sir Taylor

It was only special teams once again for Taylor. He played 18 snaps and posted a 61.4 game grade.

Stock direction: Same

CB Deane Leonard

Same as Taylor, Leonard only saw time on special teams for another week. He earned a 39.8 grade which was the worst on the team.

Stock direction: Down

FB Zander Horvath

Horvath had just five snaps on offense and 18 on special teams. He caught one pass for one yard that was just short of a first down gain.

Stock direction: Same