Jeff Miller of the LA Times projects the same 53-man roster as Daniel
Popper of The Athletic, except he (Miller) has Hopkins instead of Dicker
as the placekicker:

Chargers’ 53-man roster: With the preseason over, who will make the cut?

https://www.latimes.com/sports/chargers/story/2023-08-25/chargers-takeaways-san-francisco-49ers-53-man-roster

So no love for Dotson.

Quarterback (2): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick

The Chargers will enter the season with Stick as their backup for the
first time since drafting him in the fifth round in 2019. Only six
players have been with the team longer.

Stick, though, has appeared in only one regular-season game — against
Jacksonville in 2020 — and played just two snaps that day.​

Max Duggan, a seventh-round pick in April, figures to open the season on
the practice squad.

Running back (3): Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller

This group has been set since the start of training camp, with the
Chargers hoping Kelley and Spiller can provide more consistency and
reliability behind Ekeler.

Kelley capped his preseason with a 75-yard touchdown run against the 49ers.

Undrafted free agent Elijah Dotson opened eyes with two long touchdown
runs in the preseason opener, but he was never more than a long shot to
grab a roster spot.

Fullback (1): Zander Horvath

New offensive coordinator Kellen Moore likely won’t employ Horvath much
on offense, but the second-year pro figures to be a mainstay on special
teams. Horvath played 257 kicking-game snaps last year.

Wide receiver (6): Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Joshua Palmer, Quentin
Johnston, Derius Davis, Keelan Doss​

Johnston’s development is expected to be a seasonlong story. He
displayed potential throughout camp but continued to have issues
catching the ball.

Veteran John Hightower opened camp with a series of productive days,
making a push for the roster. He then missed time because of injury, and
his performance upon returning tailed off.

Doss is expected to occupy the sixth spot while Jalen Guyton, who
remains on the physically unable to perform list, continues to work his
way back from a knee injury.

Tight end (4): Gerald Everett, Donald Parham Jr., Stone Smartt, Tre’ McKitty

Entering Parham’s fourth season, his biggest issue has been health. When
he’s available, he can be a significant target. But Parham finished camp
again not practicing because of an undisclosed injury.

Smartt was solid in camp and the preseason, including a key block Friday
night on Kelley’s long touchdown run.

Parham’s uncertain status could open a spot for Hunter Kampmoyer if the
Chargers go with four tight ends.

Offensive line (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Corey Linsley, Jamaree
Salyer, Trey Pipkins III, Will Clapp, Foster Sarell, Jordan McFadden,
Zack Bailey

If the starting five of Slater, Johnson, Linsley, Salyer and Pipkins can
remain intact, the Chargers have the pieces for a formidable front.

Salyer was limited in practice this week while dealing with an
undisclosed injury. His health will be something to monitor in advance
of the opener.

The odd man out is Brenden Jaimes, a fifth-round pick in 2021. Jaimes
spent most of camp at center, where the Chargers already have Clapp
backing up Linsley.

Defensive line (6): Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox,
Nick Williams, Scott Matlock, Christopher Hinton​

Coming back from a knee injury, Johnson passed his physical and returned
to practice last week. On Tuesday, he took part in full team drills for
the first time, another significant step.

It appears Otito Ogbonnia will start the season on the PUP list because
of a knee injury that ended his 2022 season in Week 10. That opens a
spot for Hinton, a player the Chargers really like.

Williams, a ninth-year veteran signed in free agency, provides
experience and depth at a position that grew awfully thin at times last
season.

Edge rusher (4): Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Chris Rumph II

The Chargers traded for Mack in March 2022 with visions of pairing him
with Bosa to form a dynamic pass-rushing duo. Those visions never really
came to be as injuries limited Bosa to 165 defensive snaps.

Tuipulotu is a promising rookie rusher with speed and athleticism.
Rumph, a fourth-round pick in 2021, had his most impressive camp to
date, suggesting he could be ready for a more productive season.​

Linebacker (5): Eric Kendricks, Kenneth Murray Jr., Amen Ogbongbemiga,
Nick Niemann, Daiyan Henley

Kendricks and Murray are the starters while the other three inside
linebackers are forecast to be important special teamers. Ogbongbemiga
led the Chargers in kicking-game snaps last season and Niemann was fourth.

Henley, a rookie third-round pick, fits the mold of a fast, physical and
athletic player who can excel covering and protecting on punts.

Cornerback (5): J.C. Jackson, Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr., Ja’Sir
Taylor, Deane Leonard

Jackson’s healthy return on the outside opposite Davis gives the
Chargers the option of playing Samuel inside, which is probably their
most effective alignment in the secondary.

With Jackson rehabilitating a knee injury, Taylor spent much of the
summer at the slot corner position. But Samuel provided more consistency
there in training camp and remains the team’s best playmaker in the back
end.

Safety (5): Derwin James Jr., Alohi Gilman, JT Woods, Raheem Layne, Mark
Webb Jr.​

The Chargers have one of the NFL’s best in James and a reliable starter
in Gilman. Woods finished camp and the preseason strong as the Chargers
continue to develop the 2022 third-rounder.

If Woods can remain on a promising path, the depth concerns at this
position become much less prominent.

Specialists (3): K Dustin Hopkins, P JK Scott, LS Josh Harris

Punter Scott and long snapper Harris arrived at camp with no challengers
at their positions and did nothing to cause the Chargers to reconsider.

Hopkins, conversely, had to battle fellow kicker Cameron Dicker while
also fighting his way through an undisclosed injury that cost him
practice time. In the end, the expectation here — going against what
seems to be the overwhelming consensus — is the Chargers will opt for
the more experienced option.

Then again, Hopkins has had a difficult time staying healthy over the
last 10 to 11 months. So…

Practice squad (16, plus roster exception for international player CJ
Okoye): quarterback Duggan, edge rushers Brevin Allen, Andrew Farmer and
Carlo Kemp, safety AJ Finley, cornerbacks Cam Brown, Matt Hankins and
Tiawan Mullen, wide receivers Terrell Bynum and Hightower, defensive
linemen Jerrod Clark and Okoye, offensive linemen Jaimes and Austen
Pleasants, running back Dotson, linebacker Mikel Jones and tight end
Kampmoyer.
​

On Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 6:12:31 PM UTC-7, Robin Miller wrote:
> Jeff Miller of the LA Times projects the same 53-man roster as Daniel
> Popper of The Athletic, except he (Miller) has Hopkins instead of Dicker
> as the placekicker:
>
>
> Chargers’ 53-man roster: With the preseason over, who will make the cut?
>
> https://www.latimes.com/sports/chargers/story/2023-08-25/chargers-takeaways-san-francisco-49ers-53-man-roster
> Specialists (3): K Dustin Hopkins, P JK Scott, LS Josh Harris
>
> Punter Scott and long snapper Harris arrived at camp with no challengers
> at their positions and did nothing to cause the Chargers to reconsider.
>
> Hopkins, conversely, had to battle fellow kicker Cameron Dicker while
> also fighting his way through an undisclosed injury that cost him
> practice time. In the end, the expectation here — going against what
> seems to be the overwhelming consensus — is the Chargers will opt for
> the more experienced option.
>
> Then again, Hopkins has had a difficult time staying healthy over the
> last 10 to 11 months. So…

Chargers history suggests that whichever kicker they keep will struggle with injury and/or start missing critical kicks, while the one they let go will catch on elsewhere and drill 95% of their kicks, probably including a game winner against the Chargers.

Michael