CHARGERS : Savage, Pununu Find Themselves in Surprising Positions : Football: Savage might start Sunday, New Charger Pununu to face former teammates.

SAN DIEGO —  It’s been an eventful 48 hours for Tony Savage and Alfred Pununu. Savage has gone from the Chargers’ 60-man roster to the waiver wire to a possible starting spot at nose tackle in Sunday’s opener.

Savage was so taken by the recent chain of events that he took a nap before Wednesday afternoon’s practice.

Defensive line coach George O’Leary said there will be no time to sleep if starting nose tackle George Thornton’s injured ankle isn’t better by Sunday.

“He would be the starter on first and second down,” O’Leary said. “Like everyone else, he’ll be in a for a fight.”

But it’s a fight that O’Leary said Savage, a second-year player out of Washington, has earned.

“He had a couple good preseason games,” O’Leary said. “He’s pulled up the straps and played pretty well.”

If he starts, Savage, 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, will be matched against Chief left guard Dave Szott. O’Leary said he is not looking for an All-Pro performance out of Savage, who was picked up on waiver from the New York Jets in October 1990.

“He’s probably not going to beat anybody one-on-one, but he can hold his own,” O’Leary said. “We’d be looking for Tony to play 15 to 20 plays if George can’t get it done.”

Pununu was on his way to being the Kansas City Chiefs’ third tight end when he was put on waivers Monday morning. A day later, he was informed the Chargers were his new team and the Chiefs would be his opponent Sunday.

“I was shocked,” Pununu said. “They were supposed to carry three. I don’t know what the deal was.”

Pununu, who was given number 86, said he is happy to be here.

“I know they’re a passing team,” Pununu said. “That’s nice. When I was back in K.C, it was nothing but run.”

Huh? San Diego a passing team? Apparently Pununu hasn’t seen much of the Chargers since Dan Fouts retired.

Pununu, however, was in an ideal situation last year at Weber State, where he caught 93 passes, including 15 in a game against Idaho State.

“I was just getting open,” Pununu said.

Coach Bobby Ross said that Pununu will play special teams until he learns the offense. Pununu is hoping to see some action Sunday against his former team.

“I want to put them where their place is, and that’s at the bottom of the league,” Pununu said.

Ross said that if Shawn Jefferson’s hamstring is not better by Sunday, he will probably activate Robert Claiborne from the developmental squad to be his fourth receiver.

“I’m not going into the game with three,” Ross said.

Jefferson practiced Wednesday, but Ross said he is still not convinced Jefferson is healthy enough to play.

Ross said H-back/linebacker Steve Hendrickson’s role has not changed since the acquisition of Pununu. He said Hendrickson is backing up Junior Seau at outside linebacker and Derrick Walker at H-back.

“The probability of him playing is more on defense than offense,” Ross said.

Rookie tight end Deems May was running with the first-team offense, mostly as blocker in the backfield. . . . Walter Stanley celebrated his return to the team by dropping a pass in practice. . . . Cornerback Cedric Mack, who was waived by the Chargers Monday, tried out with Kansas City. . . . The Chiefs also spoke with former Charger H-back Tony Lenseigne.

The Charger ticket office has sold more than 40,000 tickets for Sunday’s game. The Chargers are expecting a crowd between 40,000 and 45,000. The USA Today reported that Charger season ticket-prices have gone up 27% from last year. But Charger officials say season ticket prices were raised from $23 to $26, an increase of 12%.