RADIO
Omarion Hampton Difficult to Trust in Week 9 vs. Texans
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton has seen his role diminish in the backfield each week. Hampton recorded the lowest snap percentage in the Chargers' backfield, his lowest of the year in Week 8. Kimani Vidal has gradually emerged as the lead back, turning the backfield into a three-man committee. As a result, Hampton enters Week 9 as RotoBallers PPR RB32 in a tough matchup against the Houston Texans. The Texans' defense has allowed the seventh-fewest rushing yards and the 11th-fewest rushing yards per carry. In his limited role, Hampton needs to score touchdowns to be fantasy-relevant. He should be viewed as a low-end flex play with a low floor in Week 9.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Justin Herbert a Tough Superflex Start in Week 9 vs. Texans
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert didn't show signs of turning his season around after his bye. The 28-year-old scored under 10 fantasy points, threw two interceptions, and was QB21 on the week. It marked the third time this season Herbert failed to reach double-digit fantasy points, dropping him to QB27 overall. Herbert enters Week 9 as RotoBaller's QB24 in a tough matchup against the Houston Texans. The Texans have allowed the 11th-fewest passing touchdowns but have allowed the third-most 20-plus-yard passing plays this season. Houston hasn't had a menacing defense this season, but it isn't a defense to pick on for fantasy football. Herbert is an uninspiring QB2 and is best left out of fantasy lineups in Week 9.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Chargers Not Inclined to Trade Ladd McConkey
The Los Angeles Chargers have no interest in trading star wide receiver Ladd McConkey ahead of the upcoming NFL trade deadline, according to Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport of ESPN. The Chargers currently sit at 0-7 and are likely playing out the string of a lost season in 2026. However, it appears as though the team is uninterested in a complete rebuild, especially with regard to a third-year player in McConkey. Across six games in 2026, McConkey has recorded 17 catches for 286 yards and a touchdown on 24 targets. The 24-year-old has battled multiple injury issues, and his production has suffered from the overall ineptitude of the 2026 Chargers offense so far. While his short-term fantasy value would likely benefit from a trade to a healthier offensive environment, McConkey appears likely to remain in Los Angeles through Tuesday's trade deadline.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport
Chargers Not Inclined to Trade Justin Herbert
The Los Angeles Chargers have answered trade inquiries from rival teams about quarterback Justin Herbert with "hard no's," per ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport. The 0-7 Chargers appear to be out of the playoff picture in 2026, but the organization does not seem to be inclined to fully blow up their current team. Herbert is in the midst of an awful season, as he's completed 61.8% of his pass attempts for 1,398 yards, five touchdowns, and 10 interceptions across seven games. However, the 28-year-old is a two-time Pro Bowler who has finished in the top 10 of the MVP vote twice in six full NFL seasons. While Herbert would surely fetch the Chargers a massive return in trade, replacing their franchise quarterback does not appear to be an option Los Angeles is considering ahead of the upcoming NFL trade deadline.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport
Justin Herbert is Risky Streaming Choice with Recent Struggles
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is having a season to forget right now. It has gone from bad to worse for Herbert, who hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since Week 5 against the Denver Broncos. Over his last two games, Herbert has thrown zero touchdowns and three interceptions. The 28-year-old has been held to under 250 passing yards in every game besides one this season. He does draw a favorable matchup against the Houston Texans pass defense, which ranks 29th in the league right now. Despite that, fantasy managers have little reason to believe that Herbert is going to turn it around. He remains a risky streaming choice even with a plus matchup against the Texans defense.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Omarion Hampton Could See Increased Workload in Week 9
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton could see a larger workload against the Houston Texans in Week 9 after offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel acknowledged Thursday that changes to the backfield rotation are under consideration. According to Alex Insdorf, McDaniel said the coaching staff has discussed adjusting how carries are distributed and praised Hampton's preparation throughout the week. Head coach Jim Harbaugh previously raised the possibility of relying more heavily on one running back rather than continuing the three-man rotation. Hampton managed just 20 rushing yards on nine carries in Sunday's Week 8 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, while Kimani Vidal received eight carries for 23 yards and Keaton Mitchell added four carries for six yards. Hampton leads the Chargers with 89 carries for 309 yards and three touchdowns across seven games, although his last outing with at least 15 rushing attempts came in Week 3. An expanded role would improve his fantasy outlook, but the coaching staff has not committed to making him the featured back. Los Angeles' offensive struggles also leave Hampton as a risky flex option despite the encouraging comments.
Source: Alex Insdorf
Source: Alex Insdorf
David Njoku's Practice Window Opens Ahead of Week 9
Los Angeles Chargers tight end David Njoku (leg) has had his practice window opened as he works toward returning from injured reserve, according to Alex Insdorf of BoltBeat.com. Head coach Jim Harbaugh announced the development Wednesday, bringing Njoku closer to his first appearance since suffering a lower-leg injury against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2. The 30-year-old caught six passes for 67 yards across two games before being placed on injured reserve September 23. He recorded five receptions for 58 yards in his only full outing. Oronde Gadsden II has handled an expanded role during Njoku's absence, recording 17 receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown this season, including five catches for 52 yards against the Rams last week. Njoku's eventual return could affect the distribution of tight end targets, with Charlie Kolar also part of the rotation. His availability for Sunday's matchup against the Houston Texans remains uncertain, making him a speculative stash in deeper fantasy leagues.
Source: Alex Insdorf
Source: Alex Insdorf
Keaton Mitchell Remains Stuck in Three-Headed Chargers Backfield
Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell played 31 percent of the snaps in Week 8, recording four carries for six yards and catching three passes for 17 yards in the Chargers' loss to the Rams. Mitchell remains involved in the offense, playing 31.6 percent of snaps this season; however, like the rest of the Chargers' offense, it hasn't amounted to much. Mitchell has a 3.72 yards-per-carry average and averages 6.06 fantasy points per game, ranking in the ninth percentile among qualifying running backs. Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal also remain involved in the offense, making this backfield a three-headed timeshare and neither running back a reliable fantasy option. Mitchell can still be rostered if needed; however, fantasy managers looking for short-term or immediate production may want to look elsewhere. Their Week 9 matchup against the Texans isn't a walk in the park either.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tre' Harris has Deep-League Streaming Appeal in Favorable Week 9 Matchup
Los Angeles wide receiver Tre' Harris has struggled to produce over the past two weeks, but a very favorable matchup against Houston in Week 9 could help him get back on track. Harris has 18 receptions for 256 yards and no touchdowns across 29 targets in his six games played this season. He only has five grabs for 47 yards over seven targets in the past two games combined, though. Houston has struggled to slow opposing wideouts all season, so the matchup favors Harris. It's tough to trust the Chargers' offense right now, and after a couple of down games in a row, Harris isn't the most confident starting option, even in deeper setups. The matchup is favorable enough to at least consider streaming Harris in deeper leagues for Week 9, though.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Kimani Vidal Earning More Opportunities, Worth Monitoring on Waiver Wire
The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-7, and the backfield situation has been difficult for fantasy managers to figure out, with Omarion Hampton, Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell all involved. While Hampton is the usual starter, Vidal is worth monitoring on the waiver wire, as his role is becoming more consistent. Vidal led the Chargers' backfield in snaps played with 28 in a 24-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. Mitchell played 19 snaps, while Hampton had 18 reps. None of the running backs were particularly productive for the Chargers against the Rams, but Vidal led the way with 23 rushing yards on eight carries (2.9 yards per carry), and added two receptions for seven yards. After having six combined carries through the first four games, Vidal has had 23 carries for 101 yards (4.39 yards per attempt) and a touchdown over the past three games. He has also recorded six receptions for 26 yards during that span. He has played at least 25 offensive snaps in each of the past four games. Vidal is currently available in 87% of Yahoo leagues. The offense for the Chargers doesn't instill much confidence for fantasy managers, and Vidal isn't a must-add player, but he is in streaming consideration for a Week 9 matchup against a stout Houston Texans defense that allows 98.0 rushing yards per game.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Chargers likely to open return window for David Njoku this week
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said on Monday that the team will likely open the return window for tight end David Njoku (leg) this week, according to Alex Insdorf. Njoku injured his fibula in the Week 2 loss to the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders and has been on Injured Reserve since, but the 30-year-old veteran could have a chance to return this weekend to face the Houston Texans if he returns to practice this week. It does not make him an attractive waiver-wire pickup going into Week 9, though, as Njoku will be battling for playing time and targets with tight ends Oronde Gadsden and Charlie Kolar when he returns, and he is not guaranteed to be back this Sunday against the Texans. Before injuring his leg and landing on IR, Njoku caught six of eight targets for 67 yards and no touchdowns. He has the most experience (nine-plus years) in the NFL among L.A.'s tight end options, but given how poorly the Chargers' offense has played this year, Njoku is not a recommended TE target as he nears his return from injury.
Source: Alex Insdorf
Source: Alex Insdorf
Omarion Hampton Continues to Struggle
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton was hopeful for better results coming out of the bye week, but that wasn't the case on Sunday. Hampton continues to struggle to find any room to run and was once again unsuccessful on Sunday. The 23-year-old carried the ball nine times for 20 yards and hauled in two receptions for seven yards in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Hampton is really struggling right now and hasn't surpassed 35 rushing yards in a single game since Week 4. At this point, the Chargers are using a three-back committee with Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell. Hampton is giving the Chargers no reason to believe in him or give him an increased look going forward. He might be a low-end flex option for next week's matchup against the Houston Texans.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mike McDaniel to Continue Calling Plays for Chargers' Offense
Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel will continue calling plays, Fernando Ramirez reports. Despite the team's offensive struggles, McDaniel is going to continue calling the plays for the offense going forward. The Chargers dropped to 0-7 on the season after scoring only nine points against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. This team continues to struggle to produce offensively, with only one game with over 20 points this season. The Chargers have now been held to under 10 points in two straight games. It's clear that something needs to change in Los Angeles, but the Chargers are going to stick with McDaniel for now.
Source: Fernando Ramirez
Source: Fernando Ramirez
Oronde Gadsden Not a TE Streaming Option in Week 8 vs. Rams
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden has had a disappointing sophomore season following his impressive rookie year. Gadsden is the PPR TE42 on a points-per-game basis, averaging 4.8 points per game. He's been fantasy-relevant, despite playing with an injury-riddled receiving group in Los Angeles. Gadsden enters Week 8 as RotoBaller's PPR TE32 in a tough matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams defense has allowed the second-lowest yards per pass attempt (six), third-lowest completion percentage (58%), and the fifth-fewest passing yards this season (1,351). With the Chargers' receiver room back to full strength, Gadsden will likely get lost in a crowded offense. As a result, Gadsden should be out of fantasy lineups and is not a viable tight end streaming option in Week 8.
Source: Chargers.com
Source: Chargers.com
Tre' Harris Hard to Trust as Deep-League Flex Versus Rams
Los Angeles Chargers wideout Tre' Harris hopes to continue his mini sophomore breakout season after his bye week. The 24-year-old missed Week 6 with a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 5, but is off the injury report heading into Sunday. Harris leads the Chargers in targets (26), receptions (15), and receiving yards (225) this season. The Ole Miss product has made the most of his opportunities with Ladd McConkey missing time, and has carved himself out a role as the unofficial No. 2 receiver in the passing game. Entering Week 8, Harris is RotoBaller's PPR WR64 in a tough matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Rams defense has allowed the second-lowest yards per pass attempt (6), third-lowest completion percentage (58%), and the fifth-fewest passing yards this season (1,351). Harris' mini breakout could pause with Ladd McConkey back to full health. The Chargers' passing game has been anemic and hasn't supported two fantasy-viable pass-catchers this season. Harris is an intriguing fantasy option in deep leagues, but should be out of fantasy lineups in Week 8.
Source: Chargers.com
Source: Chargers.com
