Los Angeles Chargers News

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tre' Harris caught only 30 passes for 324 yards and a touchdown as a rookie, often left off the field in favor of Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Keenan Allen. With significant changes coming to the Chargers' offense, there is a path for the 2025 second-round pick to take a significant step forward in year two. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel takes over for the far more conservative Greg Roman, which could mean more downfield opportunities for a player who averaged more than 17 yards per reception in his two years at Ole Miss. The Chargers also spent four of their eight 2026 draft picks on the offensive line and are expected to have both of their Pro Bowl tackles back and healthy for the start of the season, presumably allowing longer developing plays to operate more frequently on schedule. With Allen no longer on the roster, Los Angeles added speedy receiver Brenen Thompson in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, which is a win for Harris in terms of immediate target distribution, though the two young receivers could operate in similar roles. At RotoBaller's WR66, Harris is a dynasty hold who has the skills to become a weekly fantasy contributor. He could also spend another year buried on the depth chart should the Chargers elect to bring in additional pass catchers, ever a possibility given the team's recent hosting of free-agent tight end David Njoku, while Allen also remains on the market.

Veteran running back Najee Harris (Achilles) appeared in just three games with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025 before suffering a torn Achilles tendon that ended his season. As he works his way back from the injury, Harris currently remains unsigned for the 2026 campaign. The 28-year-old was expected to play a complementary role in Los Angeles alongside Chargers running back Omarion Hampton, and it's unlikely that he'll land a starting gig coming off a serious injury. Harris was a productive back as recently as 2024, when he logged 1,326 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns on 299 touches across 17 games with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now that the 2026 NFL Draft is over, it would not be surprising to see Harris sign with a team in need of a steady veteran presence in the backfield. However, big-play upside and explosiveness have never been a strength of Harris' game. With his touch volume likely going down in 2026 and beyond, Harris' fantasy production ceiling is limited. Coming off his injury, Harris' dynasty stock is fading rapidly.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal played a surprisingly important role in his team's offense in 2026, finishing the year with 779 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns on 171 touches across 13 games. The Chargers were forced to turn to Vidal early in the year due to injuries to running backs Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton. While Vidal is back with Los Angeles for 2026, his playing time is an open question. Hampton should be fully healthy for the start of the year and profiles as a three-down back. The Chargers also signed former Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell to a two-year deal in free agency, which could signify that Mitchell has the upper hand on Vidal for the team's RB2 role. Despite the productive year in 2025, Vidal's dynasty value is trending in the wrong direction entering 2026.

After topping 80 catches and 1,100 receiving yards as a rookie in 2024, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey turned in an underwhelming sophomore campaign in 2025. Across 16 games, the 24-year-old hauled in 66 receptions for 789 yards and six touchdowns on 106 targets. The Chargers will have a new play-caller in 2026 in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who could help McConkey rediscover his rookie-year magic. Former Chargers wideout Keenan Allen also remains unsigned, and his absence would likely allow McConkey to spend more time in the slot in 2026. Los Angeles does have other capable pass-catchers in wide receiver Quentin Johnston and tight end Oronde Gadsden, as well as 2025 second-round wideout Tre' Harris and 2026 fourth-round wideout Brenen Thompson. Still, McConkey has the highest upside of the bunch and should be the lead target-earner in McDaniel's revamped offense. In dynasty formats, McConkey could be a solid buy-low target entering 2026.

Los Angeles Chargers rookie fourth-round wide receiver Brenen Thompson was compared to speedy former Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs wideout Tyreek Hill by head coach Jim Harbaugh, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. New Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who coached Hill in Miami, was advocating that the Chargers take the former Mississippi State speedster in this year's draft. He stands at 5-foot-9 and 164 pounds and will be the lightest player on the Chargers' roster, but he'll also be their fastest player after running a 4.26-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine -- the third-fastest time by a WR since 2003. Thompson had an SEC-leading 1,054 receiving yards in 2025, which set the single-season school record at Mississippi State. Hill was a first-team All-Pro in his first two seasons with McDaniel, and he had a career-high 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023. Thompson has also been compared to former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson. Thompson's speed is enticing, but he'll be competing for targets in L.A. in a crowded WR room that also includes Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Tre' Harris, and Derius Davis. Most likely, the 22-year-old will operate in a part-time role in specific packages in 2026 in which the Chargers can utilize his game-changing speed.

Free-agent tight end David Njoku is scheduled to visit with the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday, as reported by NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Njoku has been a productive fantasy tight end across his nine seasons with the Browns, but his play fell off in 2025 as he ceded opportunities to breakout rookie Harold Fannin Jr. At almost 30 years old, Njoku still offers rare athleticism and a massive catch radius, and Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has seen past success utilizing tight ends Jonnu Smith and a 33-year-old Darren Waller. As such, Los Angeles looks to be one of the better landing spots for Njoku, though his presence would likely frustrate the dynasty managers of Oronde Gadsden II. Gadsden showed some historic flashes as a rookie, and the thought of him in that same McDaniel offense has pushed him up to RotoBaller's dynasty TE10. Njoku, meanwhile, has fallen to TE26, though his value would spike should Monday's visit result in a contract.

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. Herbert also had the most productive season of his career with his legs, racking up 498 yards and two touchdowns on 83 rushing attempts. Despite averaging a relatively modest 32 pass attempts per game, Herbert's uptick in rushing production allowed him to finish as the overall QB10 in fantasy. Heading into 2026, there's reason to believe that Herbert could be in line for an even better season. For one, Los Angeles replaced conservative play-caller Greg Roman with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who could help unlock a new level of explosiveness for the Chargers offense. Additionally, Los Angeles overhauled the interior of its offensive line and will get back its star tackle duo of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, who combined to play just six games in 2025. All in all, Herbert's dynasty outlook is trending up as he heads into his age-28 season.

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden had some historic moments as a rookie in 2025, and consistency will now be key to making him a reliable fantasy presence in Year 2 and beyond. His 164 receiving yards in Week 7 were the most by a first-year tight end in 40 years, while he was only the third rookie tight end since 1970 to top 300 yards across a three-game span, joining Kyle Pitts Sr. and Brock Bowers. The Chargers' tendencies were streaky under offensive coordinator Greg Roman, with the team averaging 39.2 pass attempts through the first seven weeks but only 29.4 the rest of the way. Now under Mike McDaniel, Gadsden brings rare tools to a scheme that has seen Jonnu Smith and a 33-year-old Darren Waller churn out week-winning performances over the past two seasons. With bookend tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater also expected back, there will be less of a need to pull Gadsden from the field in favor of blocking tight ends like the newly acquired Charlie Kolar. With the Chargers bypassing the position entirely in a loaded 2026 NFL Draft, Gadsden's jumbo slot role looks to be secure heading into year two, and at RotoBaller's dynasty TE10, it's possible he's still being slept on despite already showing a ceiling that few players in the league are capable of reaching.

After spending the first three seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, running back Keaton Mitchell landed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers earlier this offseason. Mitchell's playing time in Baltimore was limited by injury issues and the presence of star Ravens running back Derrick Henry. However, Mitchell has averaged a highly efficient 6.8 yards per touch across a limited sample size of 140 career touches. 2025 first-round running back Omarion Hampton profiles as the clear RB1 in Los Angeles ahead of Mitchell. Still, Mitchell should have a chance to carve out a consistent RB2 and pass-catching role behind Hampton. He also has the benefit of working with new Chargers play-caller Mike McDaniel, who has proven the ability to produce offenses with multiple fantasy-relevant running backs during his time as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Dynasty managers should approach Mitchell with cautious optimism following his offseason move to Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Tuesday that they exercised the fifth-year option on wide receiver Quentin Johnston. Johnston was taken by the Bolts with the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft out of TCU. He was looking like a first-round bust after a very disappointing rookie year that involved plenty of miscues and drops. The 24-year-old then bounced back in 2024 with 55 catches, 711 yards, and eight touchdowns in 15 regular-season games. Johnston had a similar campaign in 2025, finishing with a 51-735-8 line in 14 regular-season starts. The Chargers did add receiver Brenen Thompson in the draft this year, but as long as the team doesn't re-sign veteran Keenan Allen, Johnston should be quarterback Justin Herbert's primary deep threat through the air in 2026. The 6-foot-2, 208-pounder has been a boom/bust WR4/flex as a big-play receiver, but he could have even more upside in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniels' scheme in his fourth NFL season.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton remains the clear-cut No. 1 option on the depth chart heading into May. The Chargers didn't select a running back in the 2026 NFL Draft, leaving Hampton in the lead-back role and Keaton Mitchell as his projected backup. Mitchell has flashed burst and productivity in the past, and he averages 6.34 yards per carry so far in his career. While his speed fits nicely in offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's system, he offers an occasional burst or big play, rather than every-down consistency. The every-down role should remain with Hampton, who averaged 60.6 rushing yards, 3.6 catches, 21.3 receiving yards, and 0.6 touchdowns per game while dodging injuries as a rookie last year. He remains the overall RB8 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.

The Los Angeles Chargers have selected Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson with the 105th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Thompson had an explosive 2025 season with the Bulldogs, catching 57 passes for an SEC-leading 1,054 receiving yards. He also had six receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. He'll presumably slot into the No. 4 receiver spot on the depth chart behind Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre' Harris. While he's buried in the pecking order for now, he certainly has long-term dynasty appeal, especially in an offense quarterbacked by Justin Herbert. Thompson entered this year's draft as the overall WR146 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.

The Los Angeles Chargers have selected defensive end Akheem Mesidor with the 22nd overall pick out of Miami. Mesidor began his time in college playing for West Virginia before joining the Hurricanes for his final three campaigns. During his first season in Miami (2022), Mesidor immediately made a significant impact, tallying 7.0 sacks with 10.5 tackles for loss, the second-highest of his career. He then missed most of the 2023 season due to a foot injury, but quickly found his stride and went on to string together two productive seasons to finish his career. In 2025, Mesidor totaled a season-best 12.5 sacks and emerged as one of the premier edge rushers in this class. While he is one of the older prospects in this class and has dealt with serious injuries, he has the potential to make a massive impact on the field. He will look to bolster a Chargers defense that totaled the 10th-most sacks in football last season.

Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz isn't ruling out a reunion with free-agent veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. "I wouldn't say the room is complete," Hortiz said. The most interesting available receiver in free agency that the Chargers could consider is Tyreek Hill (knee), who has previous experience in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's scheme. In addition to Allen and Hill, Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel Sr. are available and could be added to a WR room in L.A. that includes Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre' Harris. McConkey saw his fantasy stock fall considerably in 2025 in his sophomore season with the return of Allen, who finished with 81 receptions for 777 yards and four touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in his 13th year in the league after a one-year stay with the Chicago Bears in 2024. Re-signing with the Bolts would probably be the best-case scenario for Allen's 2026 fantasy value as he nears the end of his illustrious career.

A second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tre' Harris did not get many chances to contribute to his team's offense as a rookie. Across 17 games, the 24-year-old recorded 30 receptions for 324 yards and one touchdown on 43 targets. Harris largely operated as the fifth target in the Chargers' passing game behind wide receivers Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen, and Quentin Johnston, as well as tight end Oronde Gadsden. Allen currently remains unsigned heading into 2026, which could open the door for Harris to move into a more prominent role in Los Angeles. The Chargers also replaced former offensive coordinator Greg Roman with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, which could lead to a more pass-happy offense overall. Harris still faces an uphill battle to make a significant contribution in Los Angeles, but he could be a decent buy-low target for dynasty managers after his quiet rookie year.

Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz thinks that both offensive tackles Rashawn Slater (knee) and Joe Alt (ankle) will participate at some point in the team's offseason program, which begins next Monday, according to Eric Smith of Chargers.com. "Yeah, I think they'll be involved in some capacity. Coming back from injuries, you don't rush anything, there's no need to rush it," Hortiz said. "Let them come back, be healthy, the target is for the start of training camp. But I think they'll be out there getting some work." Slater suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in training camp last summer and missed the entire 2025 season, while Alt made the Pro Bowl despite playing in only six games due to a season-ending ankle injury. With both Slater and Alt sidelined for all but six games last season, the protection for quarterback Justin Herbert really broke down. Having a healthy Slater and Alt in 2026 could be a difference-maker for the Chargers' QB and the entire offense in general under new coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has shut down trade rumors surrounding wide receiver Quentin Johnston, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. "There's a lot of rumors out there on Twitter," Hortiz said. "And I can tell you this, I have made zero calls about Quentin, and I've had zero calls regarding Quentin." The Chargers are still discussing the decision on whether to pick up Johnston's fifth-year option, which would pay him $18.1 million fully guaranteed in 2027. L.A. must decide before May 1. Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh have supported Johnston all along, which was evident after they traded Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears after Johnston's poor rookie season. The 24-year-old former 21st overall pick in 2023 out of TCU has rewarded the team's faith, going over 700 receiving yards in each of the last two years while scoring eight times each season in 29 total regular-season games. He led the Bolts in TDs and had a career-high 735 yards over 14 games in 2025. With Allen unlikely to return in 2026, Johnston should once again be a focal point through the air for quarterback Justin Herbert in his fourth NFL campaign.

After starting the 2025 season on the practice squad, Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal was not expected to play a significant role in his team's offense. However, early-season injuries to Chargers backs Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris led to Vidal spending a sizable chunk of the year as his team's lead rusher. Across 13 games, the 24-year-old collected 779 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns on 171 touches. Los Angeles re-signed Vidal this offseason, so he will be back in the mix for the Chargers in 2026. Still, Hampton is expected to be fully healthy and will likely return to the RB1 role. Additionally, Los Angeles signed former Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell in free agency, which could push Vidal to the Chargers RB3 role. Despite the surprisingly strong year in 2025, Vidal's fantasy value in dynasty formats is questionable heading into 2026.

ESPN's Kris Rhim writes that Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr., who is coming off back-to-back All-Pro seasons, will "almost certainly want a new deal before training camp starts." A deal will likely get done for a player who turns 30 in August and is heading into the final season of a four-year contract extension that made him the highest-paid safety in league history in 2022. James was a hold-in during training camp the last time he was eligible for an extension. The Chargers might have to make him the highest-paid safety in history again, or at least close, after Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton set the new mark with a four-year, $100.4 million deal in 2025. It remains to be seen if general manager Joe Hortiz is willing to give Hames that kind of money. The 29-year-old finished as the No. 20 fantasy defensive back in IDP leagues last year with 94 tackles (50 solo), two sacks, six tackles for loss, eight QB hits, a career-high three interceptions, seven pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 16 regular-season starts.

The Los Angeles Chargers officially re-signed exclusive-rights free-agent running back Kimani Vidal to an undisclosed one-year deal, according to Howard Balzer of Cardinals Wire. Vidal saw a lot more work in 2025 than probably anyone was expecting, even Vidal. Early-season injuries to Najee Harris (Achilles) and Omarion Hampton (ankle) forced the 24-year-old into the RB1 role in L.A. last year, and it led to 155 carries for 643 yards and three touchdowns in 13 regular-season games. Vidal also had 16 receptions on 22 targets for 136 yards and another touchdown as a receiver. Harris won't return to the Chargers, but the Chargers added Keaton Mitchell to the running back room alongside Hampton, who will be in his second season in the NFL. Vidal figures to be the favorite to win the RB2 role to begin next season, but Mitchell will probably take a lot of valuable pass-catching opportunities. At best, Vidal will probably be a handcuff option for managers who select Hampton.