Los Angeles Chargers News

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal led the team in rushing in 2025 and, with very little fanfare, turned in four different performances as the RB8 or better. While the 2024 sixth-round pick was obviously not the first plan in Jim Harbaugh's offense, veteran acquisition Najee Harris and first-round pick Omarion Hampton both succumbed to serious injuries that thrust Vidal into a starting role in which he handled himself admirably. In seven games in 2025, Vidal saw at least 10 carries, and despite playing behind an injury-ravaged offensive line that has been panned as one of the league's worst units, he averaged more than 80 rushing yards in such contests, scoring three touchdowns on the ground and a fourth through the air. While free agent acquisition Keaton Mitchell has rightfully been spotlighted as a natural fit in new coordinator Mike McDaniel's speed-based offense, at only 5'8" and 191 pounds, with a history of significant injuries, he is unlikely to see a substantial uptick in carries should presumed bell cow Hampton again miss extended time. In such a scenario, it would likely be Vidal who handles the bulk of the early-down work, and in what projects to be one of the league's most improved offenses, that could easily translate to continued fantasy success. Vidal is RotoBaller's dynasty RB63, and in deeper redraft leagues, he's worth a look at the end of drafts as one of the more valuable insurance backs in the league.

Rookie wide receiver Brenen Thompson ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Combine, and while that has not always translated to fantasy success, in landing with the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, he pairs with the playcaller perhaps best equipped to take advantage of that speed. As the head coach in Miami, Mike McDaniel often made speed the defining quality of his high-powered offenses, producing fantasy-friendly results for receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and running back De'Von Achane, and in his first season as the Chargers' offensive coordinator, the team has given him pieces to build a new speed-driven attack, Thompson included. While the undersized receiver could struggle to carve out a consistent role in a room with Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and 2025 second-round pick Tre' Harris, along with a pair of capable pass-catching tight ends, his 4.26 speed will make him a threat to go the distance anytime he's on the field. Thompson should not factor into plans for 2026 redraft leagues, but he's at least worthy of consideration in the late rounds of best ball drafts and is an intriguing dynasty stash in deeper leagues.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell has averaged more than six yards per rushing attempt through his first three seasons in the league, but injuries and a sub-200-pound frame have limited him to fewer than 60 carries every year. Landing in a Chargers offense, where new coordinator Mike McDaniel values speed above perhaps any other trait, Mitchell has a chance to see the largest workload of his career. Having run a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Combine, Mitchell is a player who only gets faster when the pads come on. Per Next Gen Stats, his 14.49 MPH average run speed per carry in 2025 led all players with at least 50 attempts and was more than a full mile per hour faster than the next player on the list, Miami's De'Von Achane. While it's unreasonable to expect a similar level of impact from Mitchell, Achane was one of the league's most explosive players in McDaniel's offense, and if the 24-year-old former undrafted free agent can see even a modest uptick in usage in that same system, he could see weekly fantasy viability as a flex-worthy starter. All indications are that Los Angeles' backfield will run through 2025 first-rounder Omarion Hampton, but Mitchell has both the ability and the environment to develop into one of the most efficient change-of-pace backs in the league, and at RotoBaller's dynasty RB80, he's a low-cost trade target who could see his value rise considerably in the coming years.

Across 16 games in 2025, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 66.4% of his pass attempts for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. The 28-year-old also rushed for a career-high 498 yards and two scores, which helped him finish as the fantasy QB10 on a per-game basis. Entering 2026, Herbert could be in a position to put together his best fantasy season to date. The Chargers have a new play-caller in place in Mike McDaniel, who should help open up the offense. Los Angeles will also have its star tackle duo of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back in action after the two combined to play just six games in 2025. Finally, Herbert has a strong core of young playmakers around him in wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, tight end Oronde Gadsden II, and running back Omarion Hampton. If the Chargers offense takes a step forward in its first season under McDaniel and Herbert maintains his increased rushing aggression from a season ago, he could be undervalued by current redraft ADP as the ninth quarterback off the board.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston has been excited about new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's scheme going into the 2026 season, and it could allow him to be even more dangerous in terms of yards after the catch, according to Omar Navarro of Chargers.com. "I feel like the scheme he has is set up for the yards after catch," Johnston said. "There's not always a lot of room for that in this league, but just showing us different angles and stuff to get to the ball after the catch and turning, going across the field and doing different stuff in the plays he has built for us." In his final collegiate season at TCU, almost half of Johnston's receiving yards came after the catch (532 of 1,068 yards). The 24-year-old former 21st overall pick in 2023 has had trouble with drops in the past, but he has also improved in each of his three years in the NFL, and he's led the team with eight touchdowns in each of the last two years. With veteran Keenan Allen unlikely to re-sign, Johnston could take another step forward in McDaniel's offense in 2026 as a big-play threat for the Bolts and fantasy managers alike. RotoBaller has Johnston ranked as the No. 49 fantasy WR for the upcoming campaign.

A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden emerged as a surprisingly important piece of his team's offense as a rookie. Across 15 games (seven starts), the 22-year-old hauled in 49 catches for 664 yards and three touchdowns on 69 targets. With an average of 13.6 yards per reception, Gadsden II showed off an ability to stretch the field that is rare at the tight end position. Entering 2026, Gadsden II's playing time outlook has some questions following the Chargers' offseason acquisitions of veteran tight ends David Njoku and Charlie Kolar. However, Njoku is only signed through 2026, and Kolar profiles more as a blocking tight end. As long as Gadsden II continues to progress in his second NFL season, he profiles as the long-term answer for the Chargers at the tight end position. In dynasty leagues where Gadsden II's value may have dipped after Los Angeles' offseason moves, managers should take advantage of the opportunity to buy low.

After spending the first nine seasons of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, veteran tight end David Njoku signed a one-year contract for the 2026 campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers in May. Njoku's production declined significantly in 2025, as he missed five games with a knee injury and finished the year with 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns on 48 targets. Njoku also had his role in the Browns' offense largely usurped by tight end Harold Fannin Jr., whose emergence as a rookie in 2025 made Njoku largely expendable. Njoku could now be facing a similar dynamic in Los Angeles, as he will be sharing the field with up-and-coming Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II. The Chargers should provide a significantly healthier offensive ecosystem for Njoku than the Browns did, which could lead to a production boost even in a limited role. Still, Njoku's upside appears to be capped as long as Gadsden II remains healthy. As Njoku enters his age-30 season, his dynasty value appears to be at an all-time low.

As veteran running back Najee Harris continues to work his way back from the Achilles tear that ended his Chargers career after only three games and 15 carries, he remains a free agent ahead of NFL training camps. After four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harris took a one-year, $5.3 million deal in what proved to be a modest 2025 market for running backs. Limited in his first training camp with the Chargers following a bizarre Fourth of July eye injury, he tore his Achilles coming out of his stance on a routine play and has since been rehabbing the injury that has historically sapped the explosiveness out of running backs, particularly those on the wrong side of the age cliff. A first-round pick in 2021, Harris is now 28 years old, and while a running back injury somewhere across the league could provide him a chance to return for his sixth season, expectations of a fantasy revival remain low for RotoBaller's dynasty RB82.

Los Angeles Chargers second-year running back Omarion Hampton said that offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel told him he reminds him of Denver Broncos Hall of Fame RB Terrell Davis, according to Alex Insdorf. The Bolts took the 23-year-old with the 22nd overall pick in last year's NFL draft out of the University of North Carolina. He was set up for a major role earlier than expected in L.A. when Najee Harris suffered a torn Achilles in Week 1, but then Hampton missed seven weeks with a fractured ankle, ultimately finishing with 545 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 124 carries (4.4 yards per carry) while adding 32 receptions for 192 yards and another score in nine regular-season games (six starts). Comparing Hampton to Davis is high praise from the new OC, but if healthy, Hampton has clear Year 2 breakout potential. With better health, an improved Chargers' offensive line, and more usage in McDaniel's system, Hampton has obvious RB1 upside going into his sophomore campaign. RotoBaller has Hampton ranked as the No. 11 fantasy RB for the upcoming 2026 season.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (hamstring) said he strained his left hamstring during Phase 2 of the team's offseason program, but he doesn't view it as a significant concern and expects to be ready for the start of training camp in late July, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said that McConkey is "working through something," but that he will take part in individual drills during this week's mandatory minicamp. The 24-year-old burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2024 after the Bolts took him with the 34th overall pick in the second round in 2024 out of the University of Georgia, catching 82 of his 112 targets for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games. McConkey took a slight step back as a sophomore, though, finishing with a 66-789-6 line on 106 targets across 16 regular-season games. In his first year in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's scheme, McConkey could be headed for another big year, making him a strong WR2 target in fantasy drafts, especially in PPR formats.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tre' Harris had a quiet rookie season after coming off the board in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, finishing the year with 344 receiving yards and one touchdown on 32 catches. With the Chargers' offense among the most hyped heading into 2026, the drumbeat surrounding Harris remains relatively muted, as the depth chart ahead of him appears securely locked in place. Even with the team's most targeted player from 2025 no longer on the roster, an expected move to more two-receiver sets under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel will likely see Keenan Allen's 118 vacated opportunities distributed to other parts of the roster. Behind presumed starters Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, Harris could again face a rotational role, with 2026 fourth-round pick Brenen Thompson brought on board for his obvious fit in McDaniels' speed and spacing-based offense. Should things go as well for the Chargers as some are expecting, McDaniel could see head coaching opportunities again in 2027, which would create the possibility of another re-roll for Harris, but for the time being, he simply remains a dynasty hold as RotoBaller's WR64.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston could be in line for a breakout season in his first year working with new Chargers play-caller Mike McDaniel, according to Thomas Martinez of Sports Illustrated. Martinez speculates that McDaniel will help weaponize Johnston's speed by putting him in better situations to rack up yards after the catch. Johnston got off to a scorching start to the 2025 season, recording 22 catches for 337 yards and four touchdowns on 36 targets across his first four games played. However, his production tailed off over the course of the season, and he finished the year with 51 receptions for 735 yards and eight touchdowns on 84 targets across 14 games. The 24-year-old has always flashed big-play and big-game upside, but he's struggled to string together consistent production on a week-to-week basis. There's no guarantee that will change in 2026, but Johnston could have a better chance to reach his ceiling now that McDaniel is in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal has become one of the more unheralded insurance backs in dynasty. With the Chargers' signing of former Raven Keaton Mitchell in free agency, the fourth-year undrafted runner out of East Carolina was quick to earn sleeper status in Mike McDaniel's speed and spacing-based offense, but in a true emergency situation, it is Vidal who is more likely to take on something closer to an every-down role should presumed starter Omarion Hampton miss extended time with injury. As a rookie in 2025, Hampton missed eight games with a fractured ankle, and with veteran Najee Harris already lost for the year by that point with a torn Achilles, it was the 2024 sixth-round pick Vidal who led the Chargers in rushing attempts and yards, turning in four top-10 fantasy finishes in his 10 starts. In what appears to be a vastly improved offense heading into 2026, the 24-year-old Vidal remains a must-roster handcuff with legitimate week-winning potential as an injury fill-in.

After a standout rookie campaign in 2024, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey saw his numbers fall across the board in 2025. Across 16 games (12 starts), the 24-year-old recorded 66 receptions for 789 yards and six touchdowns on 106 targets for an average of just 11.3 PPR fantasy points per game. Despite the downturn in production, there's reason for fantasy managers to be optimistic about McConkey's outlook in 2026. For one, the Chargers brought in a new play-caller over the offseason in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who should help maximize the team's offensive weapons. Additionally, veteran wideout Keenan Allen is currently a free agent after leading the team with 122 targets in 2025. If the Chargers do not bring back Allen, McConkey could see an uptick in both targets and playing time in the slot. In dynasty formats, managers may want to explore buying low on McConkey ahead of a possible re-emergence in 2026.

After recording 54 receptions for 1,054 yards and six touchdowns across 13 games in his final collegiate season at Mississippi State, wide receiver Brenen Thompson was selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. Thompson is known as a vertical field stretcher with elite speed, as evidenced by his 4.26-second 40-yard dash at the 2026 Scouting Combine. The 22-year-old will be part of a crowded wide receiver room in Los Angeles and projects to play a reserve role as a rookie behind Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre' Harris. Still, Thompson may have found an ideal landing spot with the Chargers thanks to the presence of new play-caller Mike McDaniel, who has a proven track record of weaponizing players with speed from his time with the Miami Dolphins. In dynasty formats, Thompson's long-term outlook is trending upwards ahead of his rookie campaign.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell brought energy and excitement to the field throughout his three-year stint with the Ravens, but injuries and a 191-pound frame have limited him to only 144 total opportunities across those three seasons. Regularly showcasing his game-breaking speed, he averaged a whopping 6.8 yards per touch on that minimal workload, and in agreeing to terms on a two-year deal with the Chargers, he lands with an offensive coordinator in Mike McDaniel who arguably values speed more than any playcaller in the league. Mitchell is expected to serve primarily as a change-of-pace back behind 2025 first-round pick Omarion Hampton, so he won't see the type of volume that allowed McDaniel to turn past speedsters De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert into Pro Bowlers, but in an offense known for creating space for its playmakers, a career year is very much in the cards. At only 24 years old, Mitchell is RotoBaller's RB80, but now, almost 30 months removed from the ACL tear that ended his rookie season and cost him the majority of his sophomore campaign, he is an easy player to get excited about and a low-cost breakout candidate, particularly in best ball formats.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston looked like he might be on his way to a breakout season early in 2025, recording 22 receptions for 337 yards and four touchdowns on 36 targets across his first four games of the year. However, the 24-year-old's production tailed off the rest of the way, and he finished the season with 51 catches for 735 yards and eight scores on 84 targets across 14 contests. Johnston has been frustratingly inconsistent since being drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Chargers, mixing flashes of brilliance with extended stretches of underperformance. He now has significant target competition around him in Los Angeles entering 2026 in the form of wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Tre' Harris, as well as tight end Oronde Gadsden II. At the same time, Johnston will have a chance to work with a new play-caller in Mike McDaniel, who helped unlock monster fantasy seasons from multiple players during his time as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Johnston's profile remains boom/bust, but he may be slightly undervalued in dynasty formats heading into 2026.

A first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton played just nine games as a rookie after fracturing his left ankle in Week 5. However, the 23-year-old should be fully healthy and ready to go heading into 2026. Hampton was productive when healthy last season, recording 737 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 156 touches. He should be in an even better position to succeed in his second year with the Chargers following the team's hire of former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as its new offensive coordinator. The Los Angeles offensive line should also be massively improved with healthy seasons from the star tackle duo of Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. Hampton's rookie season may not have been as explosive as fantasy managers would have hoped, but he remains a high-upside player who should be valued as an RB1 in dynasty formats.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said on Tuesday that new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has been overhauling his footwork in the offseason in an effort to speed up his release and get the ball out of his hand quicker, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. "Mechanically, it's a little different timing ... he wants the ball out early. We feel like that is going to help us get the ball out quicker," Herbert said. McDaniel said last month that the goal is for Herbert to "own the position," and McDaniel plans to maximize Herbert's success on passes with 2.4 seconds or less time to throw. Once plays extended into the intermediate timing window last year -- between roughly 2.4 and 3.5 seconds, Herbert's efficiency dipped. The move to get the ball out of Herbert's hand faster makes plenty of sense, as he was the league's most hit and pressured QB in 2025, spending most of his time scrambling to avoid pass-rushers behind an ineffective and banged-up offensive line. With Pro Bowl tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt returning from injury, Herbert should be better protected, but it may not matter if he's getting the ball out quicker. The Oregon product's fantasy stock is on the rise heading into the 2026 season, and he'll be a nice low-end QB1 target if you wait a bit on the position.

Following an Offensive Rookie of the Year win in 2020 and a 5,000-yard passing season in year two, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert peaked as high as the QB1 in consensus dynasty rankings. Since then, he's had fantasy finishes as the QB11, QB17, QB12, and QB10, and had nearly fallen out of dynasty's top 10 by the end of his second season in Greg Roman's run-heavy offense. Heading into 2026, the Chargers hired former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to run the offense and have begun shaping the roster to match his scheme. Los Angeles added quality pieces at fullback and tight end, which should, in theory, create more one-on-one opportunities for Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, while free agent Keaton Mitchell and fourth-round pick Brenen Thompson add game-breaking speed. With a healthier offensive line, the Chargers could have one of the most improved offenses in 2026, and yet Herbert's dynasty stock has been relatively unimpacted, as he still sits at QB9 in RotoBaller's latest rankings. Only 28 years old and likely priced close to his floor, he has become one of this offseason's most attractive buy candidates.