RADIO
Kimani Vidal has Deep-League Streaming Value
Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal has seen an expanded role in the backfield as of late. In Week 6, Vidal carried the ball seven times for 21 yards and hauled in three of his four targets for 19 additional yards. Vidal has seen five or more carries in three straight games and three or more targets in three of his last four contests. He appears to be gaining a steady role in the backfield, which could make him an interesting option against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. There could be some deep league flex value from Vidal for this Week 8 contest.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Keaton Mitchell Could Be Worth Stashing Given Backfield Uncertainty
Across six games in 2026, Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell has recorded 191 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 42 touches. Coming into the year, the 24-year-old was expected to play a backup role behind fellow Chargers back Omarion Hampton. However, Los Angeles has recently shifted to a three-way backfield committee that features Hampton, Mitchell, and Kimani Vidal. Mitchell saw very minimal usage in the Chargers' final game before their Week 7 bye, recording two carries for four yards in Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Still, the Chargers' uncertain backfield roles could create an opportunity for Mitchell to break through as the team's preferred option. In deeper leagues, Mitchell could be worth targeting on the waiver wire heading into Week 8.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ladd McConkey Present at Monday's Practice
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (concussion) returned to the team's unofficial practice on Monday as they come out of their bye week, according to Noah Furtado of The Athletic. McConkey was in a non-contact jersey and was likely limited, but it is a good sign as he works his way through the league's concussion protocol after he suffered a head injury in the team's Week 6 loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. We will not have a clearer picture of McConkey's status for a Week 8 contest against the Los Angeles Rams until the Chargers release their first official injury report of the week on Wednesday. The Bolts certainly need the 24-year-old former second-rounder back this weekend as they look to win their first game of the 2026 season. Because of the Chargers' struggles in Mike McDaniel's offense this year, McConkey has become a hard-to-trust flex play in fantasy lineups, especially while dealing with injuries. He has recorded only 13 receptions on 18 targets for 200 yards and one touchdown in his first five games, with 82 of those yards and his only TD coming in the Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. In his last two contests, McConkey has left fantasy managers out to dry, catching one of his three targets for 17 yards.
Source: The Athletic - Noah Furtado
Source: The Athletic - Noah Furtado
Keaton Mitchell is Seeing Less Usage
Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell saw his lowest usage of the season during the Week 6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Mitchell carried the ball twice for four yards in the loss. Before this game, Mitchell had seen five or more carries in four straight games. The Chargers are using a three-back committee, and right now, Mitchell might be the weakest option among the three. Fantasy managers seeking help in Week 7 shouldn't be blamed for moving on from Mitchell. The Chargers are on bye this week and Mitchell hasn't done anything lately to warrant holding him. The 24-year-old hasn't surpassed 15 rushing yards in a single game since Week 4. It might be time to move on to someone else.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Quentin Johnston a Drop Candidate Going into Chargers' Bye
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston, like the rest of the Chargers' offense, has failed to produce through the first six weeks of the 2026 season. The 25-year-old former first-rounder from TCU has caught just eight of his 22 targets for 165 yards in five games and has not found the end zone yet. Los Angeles' struggles on offense have offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel on the verge of getting fired. For the second straight week, Johnston caught just one pass on three targets for a season-high 57 yards in Sunday's 22-6 loss on the road to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. He has seen only five targets in his last two games after seeing a combined 17 targets in the first three games of the season. Johnston had eight touchdowns each in 2024 and 2025 for the Chargers, but he has yet to get on the board and has not improved his chemistry with struggling quarterback Justin Herbert at all. The Chargers are considering simplifying their offense during their Week 7 bye, but Johnston just cannot be trusted in starting lineups until further notice. Johnston is currently rostered in 39% of Yahoo leagues, with that number continuing to drop.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Chargers Considering Simplifying Offense for Justin Herbert
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh acknowledged that the team is considering simplifying their offense during their Week 7 bye after an 0-6 start, according to Noah Furtado of The Athletic. "Definitely looking at volume and where you can make it to where the players can understand," Harbaugh said, in reference to thinning the playbook. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's future is in doubt after the rough start, so it is unclear if the simplifying of the offense will involve him or not. The Chargers rank 32nd in total expected points added per play, 25th in percentage of carries contacted at or before the line of scrimmage, first in turnovers, tied for second in pre-snap penalties, and third in total penalties. They are shooting themselves in the foot week after week, and quarterback Justin Herbert leads the league in interceptions, is tied for first in QB hits, and ranks second in sacks taken. It is a giant mess. It is good news that the Chargers are considering doing something different, but the simplification of the offense is not guaranteed to turn Herbert's or the Chargers' season around. With the bye this week, it has become increasingly tougher to keep Herbert rostered in single-QB fantasy formats. And coming out of the bye, it will not get any easier with a matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
Source: The Athletic - Noah Furtado
Source: The Athletic - Noah Furtado
Momentum Growing for Chargers to Fire Mike McDaniel
There is "growing buzz" that the Los Angeles Chargers could fire offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel soon, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. While nothing is imminent, Florio does suspect that a move could come sooner rather than later. The report also states that pass game specialist Adam Gase would take over as offensive coordinator if McDaniel is fired. The Chargers are now 0-6, and it's safe to say that McDaniel isn't the only reason why the team has struggled. However, the offense was supposed to be the Chargers' best unit in 2026, and it has certainly not lived up to that hype. The unit mustered just six points (two field goals and zero touchdowns) against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, with Justin Herbert amassing only 204 yards through the air. Meanwhile, the backfield totaled 73 total yards, including a mere 3.3 yards per carry. To add insult to injury, the Chargers' offense turned the ball over twice in the loss. At this point, moving on from McDaniel wouldn't magically get Los Angeles into the playoff hunt, but a personnel change could at least give the Chargers a fresh coaching perspective on offense while beginning preparations for improvements in 2027.
Source: Mike Florio
Source: Mike Florio
Omarion Hampton is Unable to Find Success in Week 6
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton continued to struggle on the ground during Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He rushed the ball seven times for 18 yards during Sunday's loss. The seven carries were a season-low for Hampton, who has struggled to find consistency this season. Both Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal remained in the mix as well, so this will probably remain a three-back committee going forward. The Chargers are on bye in Week 7, but Hampton might only be a flex option for the Week 8 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Ladd McConkey Ruled Out with Concussion
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's contest due to a concussion. McConkey would draw just one target before exiting the game, and caught it for 17 yards. In addition to this new injury, the Georgia product has dealt with a foot injury for much of the opening weeks. While it did not limit him leading up to Week 6, McConkey was unable to log any snaps in their Week 5 loss to the Broncos. Managers should watch his status, but McConkey will have ample time to clear concussion protocol since the Chargers are off in Week 7. Quentin Johnston is expected to lead the passing attack for the remainder of Sunday's contest.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Oronde Gadsden A Touchdown-Dependent TE3 in Week 6 vs. Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden has been a disappointing fantasy tight end in his sophomore season after a productive rookie year. Gadsden is the TE34 in overall scoring, averaging 3.9 points per game. The 23-year-old failed to take advantage of an injury-depleted pass-catching group last week and didn't catch his lone target. However, the Chargers are expected to have both Ladd McConkey (foot) and Quentin Johnston (chest) available this week. As a result, Gadsden enters Week 6 as RotoBaller's PPR TE29 in a tough matchup against division rival Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs defense has allowed the second-fewest receiving yards and receiving touchdowns this season. Additionally, the Chiefs are coming off their bye week, giving them a week of rest and extra time to game plan for a struggling Chargers offense. Gadsden should be viewed as a TE3 and nowhere near fantasy lineups in Week 6.
Source: Chargers.com
Source: Chargers.com
Quentin Johnston Off the Fantasy Radar in Week 6 vs. Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers wideout Quentin Johnston (chest) is off the injury report and will play in his team's Week 6 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, it is unknown if Johnston will see a snap count on Sunday. Johnston was out last week because of his chest injury but logged two limited practices and finished the week as a full participant. The 25-year-old enters Week 6 as RotoBaller's PPR WR48 in a tough matchup against division rival Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs defense has allowed the second-fewest receiving yards and receiving touchdowns this season. Additionally, the Chiefs are coming off their bye week, giving them a week of rest and extra time to game plan for a struggling Chargers offense. Johnston should be left out of fantasy lineups in Week 6, and he could become a cuttable fantasy player after this week if he produces another dud outing.
Source: Chargers.com
Source: Chargers.com
Can Ladd McConkey Be Trusted in Week 6 vs. Chiefs?
Los Angeles Chargers wideout Ladd McConkey (foot) is off the injury report and will be active for his team's Week 6 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, it's unknown if McConkey will be on a snap count on Sunday. McConkey is coming off back-to-back zero-point outings with a limited snap percentage due to a foot injury. The 24-year-old enters Week 6 as RotoBaller's PPR WR39 in a tough matchup against division rival Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs defense has allowed the second-fewest receiving yards and receiving touchdowns this season. In addition, the Chiefs are coming off their bye week, giving them a week of rest and extra time to game plan for a struggling Chargers offense. McConkey is hard to trust in Week 6 because of a tough matchup and recent foot injuries. As a result, he should be out of fantasy lineups if possible.
Source: Chargers.com
Source: Chargers.com
Keaton Mitchell a Risky Deep-League Flex Option in Week 6 vs. Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell has seen his role improve over the last three weeks. The 24-year-old is the PPR RB37 in overall scoring, averaging 6.1 fantasy points per game. Mitchell has nine-plus touches during that stretch and has seen a greater snap percentage than Omarion Hampton over the last two weeks. Mitchell enters Week 6 as RotoBaller's PPR RB36 in a tough matchup against division rival Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs defense has allowed the third-fewest rushing touchdowns and the sixth-fewest yards per carry this season. The Chiefs' defense has limited big plays on the ground and caps the upside of a big-play running back like Mitchell. In addition, the Chiefs are coming off a bye week, giving them a week of rest and extra time to game plan for a struggling Chargers offense. Mitchell is a risky flex play in deep leagues and should be out of lineups if possible in Week 6.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Will Kimani Vidal be the Chargers' RB1 in Week 6 vs. Chiefs?
Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal has seen his role grow over the last two weeks. Vidal has seen the same or a higher snap percentage than Omarion Hampton during this stretch. As a result, Vidal has scored 10-plus points and finished inside the top 26 fantasy running backs in back-to-back weeks. The 25-year-old has forced the Chargers into a three-man running back committee, capping the ceiling for all the backs as reliable fantasy options. Vidal enters Week 6 as RotoBaller's PPR RB41 in a tough matchup against division rival Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs defense has allowed the third-fewest rushing touchdowns and the sixth-fewest yards per carry this season. Additionally, the Chiefs are coming off their bye week, giving them a week of rest and extra time to game plan for a struggling Chargers offense. Vidal might lead the Chargers' backfield in Week 6, but he shouldn't be in fantasy lineups.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Omarion Hampton a Risky Flex Option in Week 6 vs. Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton has become a borderline flex starter in all league formats. Over five weeks, Hampton is the PPR RB23 in overall scoring, averaging 9.4 fantasy points per game. The 23-year-old has become a touchdown-dependent fantasy player and has seen his role diminish over the last three weeks. Hampton enters Week 6 as RotoBaller's PPR RB28 in a tough matchup against division rival Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs defense has allowed the third-fewest rushing touchdowns and the sixth-fewest yards per carry this season. Additionally, the Chiefs are coming off their bye week, giving them a week of rest and extra time to game plan for a struggling Chargers offense. Hampton is a risky flex play and will likely need to find the end zone to be a viable fantasy option in Week 6.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
