LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Chargers went into this season with just one receiver -- DJ Chark Jr. -- who had 1,000 yards in a season. They passed on top wide receivers with the No. 5 pick in the draft to select tackle Joe Alt. Then traded up in the second round to take receiver Ladd McConkey, a player they believed was good enough to produce this season.
Since general manager Joe Hortiz was named to his role in February, and moved on from receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, he's faced questions about that draft decision.
Through seven weeks, McConkey hadn't had a breakout game or established himself as a receiver defenses needed to gameplan for, while other rookie wide receivers contributed. Alt shined early and was consistent but suffered an MCL sprain that sidelined him for a game.
In Week 8, McConkey and Alt put together their best performances of the season in the Chargers 26-8 win over the New Orleans Saints. As much as it was an essential win for this team to remain a playoff contender, it was 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 value on Sunday.
When the ball was snapped, Alt comfortably picked up a stunt -- a move by the Saints defensive line where players switch roles in their gap responsibilities to confuse the offensive line. Herbert rolled to his left before launching the ball to McConkey, who leaped 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 had this ability and this skill to almost look one way and then catch it just a few feet the other way," Harbaugh said. "It's really subtle, it's really good.
Alt and left tackle Rashawn Slater both high-fived in celebration. McConkey and receiver Simi Fehoko did a choreographed celebration that included a head tap to reflect how McConkey went up and over the defender's head for the score.
"It feels like Ladd goes for 200 yards at every single practice," Fehoko said. "He's capable of breaking ... that every single game. So I mean, it was good to just see it in person and see it actually come out here in the game."
McConkey finished with six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns. He is the first Chargers rookie wide receiver with 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in a game since Allen in 2013. He's 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 line up inside, outside we've got a true ball player on our hands."
Alt has flashed as a dominant player since the Chargers' Week 1 win against the Las Vegas Raiders, where he didn't allow pressure 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 up against outside linebacker T.J. Watt and allowed a sack. Alt said he learned in that game he needed to be quicker when the ball was snapped and would apply that moving forward.
Five weeks later and recovered from his injury, Alt had one of his best games this year. Alt did not allow pressure on any of his 38 pass-blocking snaps against the Saints, tied for the most snaps without pressure allowed by a rookie tackle over 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 with Joe, a great player. We knew it, and so we believed it, and it's proved itself out so far."
The breakout game for McConkey came after one of his most disappointing 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 vowed to be better moving forward.
"We wanted to get back on the right track after last week as an offense," McConkey said. "Five field goals [in the Cardinals loss], we need to score [touchdowns]. So we are able to do that this week -- it was huge."
McConkey has been one of Herbert's favorite targets since OTA's. Herbert said McConkey is "friendly to the quarterback" because he doesn't let defenders get behind him and runs back toward catches.
"It's just one of those things that you have a tough time teaching receivers that he's picked up," Herbert said. "He's natural at it and I think that's just why he's been so good."