Final2021 Week 17

SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA

Denver Broncos vs Los Angeles Chargers, Week 17 2021

Denver Broncos

Away

13

Los Angeles Chargers

HomeWon

34

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Broncos0301013
Chargers71031434

DEN 13LAC 34 Final

  • Passing leader

    Drew Lock

    DEN · QB

    15.9PPR pts

    18/25, 245 YDS, 1 TD

  • Top fantasy scorer

    Noah Fant

    DEN · TE

    21.2PPR pts

    6 REC, 92 YDS, 1 TD

  • Broncos leader

    Melvin Gordon III

    DEN · RB

    10.2PPR pts

    10 ATT, 43 YDS, 3 REC, 29 REC YDS

  • Defensive playmaker

    Andre Roberts

    LAC · WR

    1 TD

Chargers 34, Broncos 13: Los Angeles leads from start to finish

Los Angeles led 17–3 at halftime and outscored Denver 17–10 after the break to win 34–13. The Chargers finished with a narrow 341–319 edge in total offense.

The Broncos went 3-for-11 on third down and committed one turnover, while the Chargers finished without a giveaway.

The two teams meet again in Week 5 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.

Key advantages

  • +1 turnover margin LAC 0 turnovers
  • +22 total yards LAC 341 · DEN 319
  • +33% third-down rate LAC 60% · DEN 27%

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

Got a Bronco or Charger on your fantasy team?

Check their next matchup with the Start/Sit Tool, compare their value in the Fantasy Trade Calculator, or connect your league for personalized advice in Redraft Command.

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Why the Chargers Won

Los Angeles won the turnover, third-down, and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Broncos vs Chargers
BroncosStatChargers
1Turnovers0
319Total yards341
27%Third-down conversion60%
Other team stats
5.7Yards per play5.2
56Plays66
29:44Time of possession30:16

Scoring Summary

The Chargers scored four touchdowns and two field goals; the Broncos scored one touchdown and two field goals.

Scoring plays, Broncos vs Chargers
TimeTeamPlayDENLAC
1st quarter
11:49LACAustin Ekeler 3-yard TD run Takes leadDustin Hopkins XP07
2nd quarter
11:27LACDustin Hopkins 19-yard FG Extends lead010
0:14LACJustin Herbert → Keenan Allen, 8-yard TD Extends leadDustin Hopkins XP017
0:00DENBrandon McManus 61-yard FG317
3rd quarter
7:09LACDustin Hopkins 23-yard FG Extends lead320
4th quarter
14:53DENBrandon McManus 23-yard FG620
14:40LACAndre Roberts 101-yard kickoff return TD Extends leadDustin Hopkins XP627
10:18LACJustin Herbert → Mike Williams, 45-yard TD Extends leadDustin Hopkins XP634
6:31DENDrew Lock → Noah Fant, 5-yard TDBrandon McManus XP1334

Fantasy Points: Broncos vs Chargers, Week 17 2021

Fantasy leaders

  1. Noah FantDENTE21.2 PTSTE1
  2. Austin EkelerLACRB20.2 PTSRB12
  3. Justin HerbertLACQB17.7 PTSQB12
  4. Drew LockDENQB15.9 PTSQB13

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Drew LockDENQB15.9QB1318/25245103100116.3Start/Sit →
Justin HerbertLACQB17.7QB1222/3123720420114.6Start/Sit →
Brett RypienDENQB0.0—0/2000———39.6

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
Noah FantDENTE21.2TE1TE———76921Start/Sit →
Austin EkelerLACRB20.2RB12RB1758133540Start/Sit →
Mike WilliamsLACWR15.3WR20WR———43631
Keenan AllenLACWR14.4WR24WR———94441Start/Sit →
Melvin GordonDENRB10.2RB28RB1043043290
Justin JacksonLACRB9.1RB31RB1241033200
Courtland SuttonDENWR9.0WR46WR———53600Start/Sit →
Tre' McKittyLACTE5.2TE29TE———33220
Joshua PalmerLACWR4.6WR75WR———53160Start/Sit →
Seth WilliamsDENWR4.4WR78WR———11340
Kendall HintonDENWR4.3WR79WR———52230
Javonte WilliamsDENRB4.2RB51RB143001120Start/Sit →
Jalen GuytonLACWR3.1WR91WR11022100
Albert OkwuegbunamDENTE2.5TE37TE———2250
Stephen AndersonLACTE1.8TE43TE———1180
Eric SaubertDENTE0.0—TE———1000Start/Sit →

Fantasy Usage

Denver Broncos

Snap Share

  1. Noah FantTE53 snaps88%
  2. Courtland SuttonWR52 snaps87%
  3. Seth WilliamsWR43 snaps72%
  4. Kendall HintonWR36 snaps60%
  5. Melvin GordonRB30 snaps50%

Target Share26 targets

  1. Noah Fant27%, 7 targets
  2. Courtland Sutton19%, 5 targets
  3. Kendall Hinton19%, 5 targets
  4. Melvin Gordon15%, 4 targets
  5. Albert Okwuegbunam8%, 2 targets
  6. Other12%, 3 targets

Carry Share27 carries

  1. Javonte Williams52%, 14 carries
  2. Melvin Gordon37%, 10 carries
  3. Drew Lock11%, 3 carries

Los Angeles Chargers

Snap Share

  1. Mike WilliamsWR56 snaps84%
  2. Stephen AndersonTE52 snaps78%
  3. Keenan AllenWR49 snaps73%
  4. Austin EkelerRB39 snaps58%
  5. Tre' McKittyTE35 snaps52%

Target Share30 targets

  1. Keenan Allen30%, 9 targets
  2. Joshua Palmer17%, 5 targets
  3. Mike Williams13%, 4 targets
  4. Austin Ekeler10%, 3 targets
  5. Justin Jackson10%, 3 targets
  6. Other20%, 6 targets

Carry Share34 carries

  1. Austin Ekeler50%, 17 carries
  2. Justin Jackson35%, 12 carries
  3. Justin Herbert12%, 4 carries
  4. Jalen Guyton3%, 1 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
Noah FantDENTE5388%727%0
Courtland SuttonDENWR5287%519%0
Mike WilliamsLACWR5684%413%0
Stephen AndersonLACTE5278%13%0
Keenan AllenLACWR4973%930%0
Seth WilliamsDENWR4372%14%0
Kendall HintonDENWR3660%519%0
Austin EkelerLACRB3958%310%17
Tre' McKittyLACTE3552%310%0
Melvin GordonDENRB3050%415%10
Albert OkwuegbunamDENTE3050%28%0
Javonte WilliamsDENRB3050%14%14
Jalen GuytonLACWR3248%27%1
Joshua PalmerLACWR3146%517%0
Justin JacksonLACRB2537%310%12
Eric SaubertDENTE1932%14%0
Diontae SpencerDENWR35%00%0
Joshua KelleyLACRB34%00%0
Hunter KampmoyerLACTE34%00%0
Travis FulghamDENWR23%00%0
Mike BooneDENRB12%00%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
Justin HerbertLAC · QB17.716.2+1.5100%31 att—31411%00%
Austin EkelerLAC · RB20.216.0+4.258%49% car—01749%310%
Keenan AllenLAC · WR14.415.2−0.873%30% tgt—000%930%
Drew LockDEN · QB15.914.6+1.395%25 att—25311%14%
Melvin Gordon IIIDEN · RB10.213.2−3.050%37% car—01037%415%
Justin JacksonLAC · RB9.112.8−3.737%34% car—01234%310%
Noah FantDEN · TE21.211.8+9.488%26% tgt—000%726%
Javonte WilliamsDEN · RB4.210.7−6.550%52% car—01452%14%
Kendall HintonDEN · WR4.38.9−4.660%19% tgt—100%519%
Courtland SuttonDEN · WR9.08.4+0.687%19% tgt—000%519%
Joshua PalmerLAC · WR4.68.4−3.846%17% tgt—000%517%
Mike WilliamsLAC · —15.36.7+8.684%13% tgt—000%413%
Tre' McKittyLAC · TE5.25.1+0.152%10% tgt—000%310%
Jalen GuytonLAC · WR3.14.0−0.948%7% tgt—013%27%
Albert Okwuegbunam Jr.DEN · TE2.53.4−0.950%7% tgt—000%27%
Eric SaubertDEN · TE0.01.7−1.732%4% tgt—000%14%
Seth WilliamsDEN · WR4.41.7+2.772%4% tgt—000%14%
Stephen AndersonLAC · TE1.81.7+0.178%3% tgt—000%13%
Brett RypienDEN · QB0.00.9−0.95%2 att—200%00%
Gabe NabersLAC · RB0.20.6−0.4—3% car—013%00%

Team totals: Broncos 27 targets and 27 carries; Chargers 30 targets and 35 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Drew Lock

DEN · QB · 15.9 pts on 14.6 expected

18 of 25 passing for 245 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 target (4% of the team's), 1 catch for 1 yard; 3 carries for 10 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 14.6 expected.

Start/Sit: Drew Lock →

Justin Herbert

LAC · QB · 17.7 pts on 16.2 expected

22 of 31 passing for 237 yards, 2 touchdowns; 4 carries for 2 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 16.2 expected.

Start/Sit: Justin Herbert →

Melvin Gordon III

DEN · RB · 10.2 pts on 13.2 expected

4 targets (15% of the team's), 3 catches for 29 yards; 10 carries (37% of the team's) for 43 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 13.2 expected.

Noah Fant Ran hot

DEN · TE · 21.2 pts on 11.8 expected

7 targets (26% of the team's), 6 catches for 92 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 11.8 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Start/Sit: Noah Fant →

Austin Ekeler

LAC · RB · 20.2 pts on 16.0 expected

3 targets (10% of the team's), 3 catches for 54 yards; 17 carries (49% of the team's) for 58 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 16.0 expected.

Start/Sit: Austin Ekeler →

Keenan Allen Volume, no payoff

LAC · WR · 14.4 pts on 15.2 expected

9 targets (30% of the team's), 4 catches for 44 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.2 expected.

Start/Sit: Keenan Allen →

Javonte Williams Unlucky

DEN · RB · 4.2 pts on 10.7 expected

1 target (4% of the team's), 1 catch for 2 yards; 14 carries (52% of the team's) for 30 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 10.7 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Javonte Williams →

Mike Williams Ran hot

LAC · — · 15.3 pts on 6.7 expected

4 targets (13% of the team's), 3 catches for 63 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 6.7 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Denver Broncos

  • Stock up: Kendall Hinton played 60% of the snaps, up from a 24% season average.

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Stock up: Tre' McKitty played 52% of the snaps, up from a 29% season average.
  • Stock up: Stephen Anderson played 78% of the snaps, up from a 25% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Broncos defense and Chargers defense
Points allowed toBroncos DChargers D
QBs15.817.5
RBs21.425.9
WRs29.828.5
TEs8.517.2

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Los Angeles opened at 71% win probability and passed 98% before halftime on the way to the win.

Chargers win probability

Chargers win probability by game minuteChargers started at 71%, stood at 97% at halftime and finished at 100%, across 9 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. +15Ekeler 3-yd TD run71% → 86%Q1 11:49
  2. +5Hopkins 19-yd FG86% → 91%Q2 11:27
  3. +6Herbert → Allen, 8-yd TD92% → 98%Q2 0:14
  4. −2McManus 61-yd FG99% → 97%Q2 0:00
  5. +1Hopkins 23-yd FG98% → 99%Q3 7:09

Swing in Chargers win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Broncos vs Chargers
Denver BroncosMeasureLos Angeles Chargers
56Plays66
52%Pass rate47%
8.1Yds / dropback7.6
3.1Yds / carry3.0
3/11Third downs9/15

Efficiency edge Los Angeles ran 10 more plays than Denver.

  • Top targets
  • DEN Fant 26% · Sutton 19% · Hinton 19%
  • LAC Allen 30% · Palmer 17% · Williams 13%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Broncos vs Chargers
ResultDENLAC
Touchdowns14
Field goals22
Punts33
Turnovers00
Turnovers on downs30
  • The Chargers opened the scoring on their first possession, a 7-play, 55-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
  • The Chargers drained the clock with two second-half drives of five to seven minutes.
All 19 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
LACQ1 15:007553:11Touchdown
DENQ1 11:499214:47Downs
LACQ1 7:02320:56Punt
DENQ1 6:06351:04Punt
LACQ1 5:02360:51Punt
DENQ1 4:11300:59Punt
LACQ1 3:1214696:45Field goal
DENQ2 11:2710746:09Downs
LACQ2 5:18382:04Punt
LACQ2 3:1411493:00Touchdown
DENQ2 0:143320:14Field goal
DENQ3 15:005222:10Punt
LACQ3 12:5014785:41Field goal
DENQ3 7:0912707:16Field goal
LACQ4 14:53000:13Touchdown
DENQ4 14:407283:18Downs
LACQ4 11:223521:04Touchdown
DENQ4 10:186753:47Touchdown
LACQ4 6:3110366:31End of game
About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Broncos vs Chargers Head-to-Head

The Broncos and Chargers first met in 1960 and have played 133 times since. They have been AFC West rivals since 1970.

All-time series
74–58–1Broncos lead, 133 meetings since 1960
Postseason
1–0Broncos won in 2013
Largest Broncos win
38–31997
Largest Chargers win
41–32007

Since 2021

5–5 Series tied

10 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. B = Broncos win, C = Chargers win, outlined = this game.

2026 Meetings

  • Week 5 Broncos at Chargers Upcoming
  • Week 18 Chargers at Broncos Upcoming

Recent Meetings

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Broncos vs Chargers
BroncosStatChargers
7-10Record9-8
19.7Points per game27.9
330.5Yards per game390.2
5.4Yards per play5.9
18.9Points allowed per game27.0
326.1Yards allowed per game360.1

Broncos vs Chargers Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread
LAC −7.5Chargers covered by 13.5
Total
45Over: 47 points scored (by 2)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
TeamImpliedActualDifference
Chargers26.334+7.8
Broncos18.813−5.8

The Chargers beat their implied total and the Broncos fell short of theirs; the Fantasy tab has the player lines behind it.

Betting Trends

Last 2 meetings: Broncos 1–1 ATS, overs and unders 1–1.

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Denver Broncos

Against the spread
7–9
Over/under
4–12
ATS as favorite
5–4
ATS as underdog
2–4
ATS on the road
3–5

Los Angeles Chargers

Against the spread
8–8
Over/under
9–7
ATS as favorite
4–6
ATS as underdog
3–2
ATS at home
4–5

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Broncos vs Chargers Fantasy Outlook for 2026

Two meetings are left on the 2026 schedule: Week 5 in Los Angeles and Week 18 in Denver. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Broncos vs Chargers Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Broncos vs Chargers Week 17 game?

The Los Angeles Chargers beat the Denver Broncos 34–13 in Week 17 of the 2021 season. The game was played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, on January 2, 2022. See the Chargers' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Broncos vs Chargers?

The final score was Chargers 34, Broncos 13. The Chargers led 17–3 at halftime, and the second half went Broncos 10, Chargers 17.

What happened in the Broncos vs Chargers game?

Los Angeles led 17–3 at halftime and outscored Denver 17–10 after the break to win 34–13. The Chargers finished with a narrow 341–319 edge in total offense. Noah Fant led all players with 6 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. The Broncos committed 1 turnover, the Chargers none.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Broncos vs Chargers?

Noah Fant led the game with 21.2 PPR fantasy points, the TE1 of Week 17, on 6 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. Austin Ekeler was next with 20.2 (RB12). See Noah Fant's 2021 game log.

Who led Broncos vs Chargers in passing, rushing and receiving?

Drew Lock (DEN) led all passers with 18 of 25 for 245 yards and a touchdown. Austin Ekeler (LAC) led in rushing with 17 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown. Noah Fant (DEN) led in receiving with 6 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.

How many fantasy points did Noah Fant score against the Chargers?

Noah Fant scored 21.2 points in PPR leagues, 18.2 in half-PPR and 15.2 in standard scoring against the Chargers in Week 17 of the 2021 season, on 6 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. He drew 26% of his team's targets.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Broncos vs Chargers?

Noah Fant outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 21.2 PPR points on 11.8 xFP (+9.4). Javonte Williams fell furthest short, with 4.2 points on 10.7 xFP (−6.5). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

How did the Chargers beat the Broncos?

The Chargers beat the Broncos 34–13 because they won the turnover battle 1–0 and outgained them 341–319.

Which team won the turnover battle in Broncos vs Chargers?

The Chargers won the turnover battle 1–0: the Broncos gave the ball away 1 time and the Chargers not at all. The Chargers won the game.

What is the all-time Broncos vs Chargers record?

The Broncos lead the all-time series 74–58–1 across 133 meetings since 1960, including a 1–0 record in the postseason.

When did the Broncos and Chargers last play before this game?

Before Week 17 of 2021, they last met in the 2021 season on November 28, 2021, when the Broncos beat the Chargers 28–13.

Have the Broncos and Chargers met in the playoffs?

Yes, 1 time, most recently in the 2013 playoffs. The Broncos are 1–0 against the Chargers in the postseason.

What was the closing spread for Broncos vs Chargers?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Chargers −7.5, making the Los Angeles Chargers 7.5-point favorites, with a closing total of 45. That implied about 26.3 points for the Chargers and 18.8 for the Broncos.

Did Broncos vs Chargers go over or under the total?

The game went over. The consensus closing total was 45, and the teams combined for 47 points, 2 over the number.

Who covered the spread in Broncos vs Chargers?

The Chargers covered by 13.5 against the closing line of Chargers −7.5. The final margin was 21 points.