Keaton Mitchell Worth a Waiver Claim with High Upside? 0mLink copied!

Sep 7, 2026, 10:46 AM ET

Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell remains available in roughly 83% of fantasy football leagues. He's not going to be a workhorse running back this season, but his incredible explosiveness gives him a very high ceiling for 2026. Mitchell is coming off a three-year stint with the Baltimore Ravens that was riddled with injuries. When he was healthy, though, he was somewhat unstoppable. So far in his career, he's averaging a whopping 6.3 yards per carry. He doesn't usually have a huge role in the receiving game, but his speed and athleticism translate very nicely to the running game. The most encouraging part about rostering Mitchell is that the Chargers went out and made a concerted effort to sign him in free agency. In other words, they wouldn't have spent money to sign him if they didn't plan to get him involved. He's now paired up with offensive mastermind Mike McDaniel, who extracted elite fantasy value from a similar-profile running back, De'Von Achane. Mitchell will be the No. 2 running back in Los Angeles as long as Omarion Hampton is healthy, but that doesn't mean he can't carve out fantasy relevance in deeper leagues. Mitchell is a high-upside waiver wire target in 12+ team leagues. He should open the year on your bench, but he could quickly earn a lineup spot if he racks up big yardage early in the season.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller