July 10, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Quentin Johnston is "going to have to earn his chances," according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. Popper notes that the team added significant competition at outside receiver this offseason, signing veteran
Mike Williams as well as drafting
Tre Harris (second round) and
Keandre Lambert-Smith (fifth round). Popper previously reported that Johnston was working with the first-team offense during mandatory minicamp, so it appears as though he's still entering training camp as a starter. Johnston tallied 55 receptions for 711 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 games for the Chargers last season. He'll need regular playing time to be relevant in fantasy, so his role in Los Angeles is one to monitor over the remainder of the summer.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
July 4, 2025
Per Jason Reed of BoltBeat.com, Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver
Keandre Lambert-Smith is not guaranteed a spot on the team's 53-man roster. Reed reports that the fifth-round pick in April's draft is currently in a roster battle with four other wideouts for, presumably, the final spot in LA's WR corps. Lambert-Smith profiles as more of a developmental prospect, never having eclipsed 53 receptions or 1,000 yards across five years at two schools (Penn State, Auburn). However, he carries a leg up on fellow pass-catchers
Jalen Reagor and
Brenden Rice due to his status as a rookie. Reed notes the Chargers could decide to carry seven wide receivers on their active roster, though that'd be a rare occurrence. For now, the 23-year-old will have to show out during training camp to ensure his spot with Los Angeles.
--Alex CiullaSource: Jason Reed
July 2, 2025
ESPN's Kris Rhim writes that Los Angeles Chargers rookie fifth-round tight end
Oronde Gadsden was the most active pass-catcher during offseason workouts and became a favorite target of quarterback
Justin Herbert. Gadsden's size (6-foot-5, 250 pounds) and speed (4.65-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine) makes him difficult to cover and one to watch at training camp and the preseason. The 22-year-old could become a receiving threat sooner or later for the Bolts, a team whose passing offense struggled mightily in 2024. However, they will continue to run the ball plenty under offensive coordinator Greg Roman, especially after drafting
Omarion Hampton in the first round and signing
Najee Harris in free agency. Gadsden, a converted wideout, has intriguing pass-catching abilities, but he'll need to block to find regular playing time eventually.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
June 23, 2025
The additions to the Los Angeles Chargers' offense this year should make second-year wide receiver
Ladd McConkey even more dangerous, according to The Athletic's Daniel Popper. The different is that last year the offense was stunted because they lacked vertical threats. This year, the Chargers have options that can attack defenses vertically from various alignments, which will open up short and intermediate areas for McConkey. Rookie wideout Tre' Harris and rookie tight end
Oronde Gadsden both have the ability to make plays down the field for the Bolts and take attention away from McConkey. McConkey was a fantasy stud in his first year in the NFL with 82 catches on 112 targets for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 regular-season games (14 starts). The Chargers will remain a run-first offense, but McConkey should still be in play as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
June 17, 2025
The Los Angeles Chargers have signed undrafted free agent offensive lineman Elijah Ellis to an undisclosed contract. Tackle Tyler McLellan was waived in a corresponding move. Ellis spent four seasons in college, but just one at Marshall, where he culminated his collegiate career (Baylor). He started all 13 games for the Thundering Herd in 2024, helping lead their rushing attack to a top 20 finish in the nation and 32 points per game. The Texas native appeared in just nine games over his other three years with Baylor. He's the fourth new addition on the Chargers' offensive front via free agency and April's draft, and figures to provide depth at tackle if he shows well enough to make the team.
--Alex CiullaSource: Los Angeles Chargers
June 13, 2025
The Athletic's Daniel Popper writes that Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Quentin Johnston worked with the first-team offense alongside second-year wideout
Ladd McConkey and
Jalen Reagor for the bulk of the work during mandatory minicamp this week. Rookie
Tre Harris got limited reps with quarterback
Justin Herbert. Johnston, the 21st overall pick in 2023 out of TCU, struggled with drops and was a disappointing in his rookie season, but he bounced back with a 55-711-8 line in 15 regular-season games (11 starts) in 2024. The problem is that his role could be in jeopardy in 2025 with the addition of Harris and big-play threat
Mike Williams. With the added competition and Johnston still lacking for efficiency in a run-first offense, both his fantasy ceiling and floor will be low. RotoBaller has the 23-year-old ranked as the WR59.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
June 13, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers left tackle Rashawn Slater skipped the two organized team activity sessions open to the media on May 27 and June 3 as he remains in contract negotiations with the team, but he was at practice this week for mandatory minicamp. He's currently slated to play in 2025 on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which would pay him $19.04 million. The 26-year-old's presence this week at minicamp is a positive sign that the two sides continue to work toward a long-term extension. Slater made the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career in 2024 after the Bolts made him the 13th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft out of Northwestern. He figures to once again be a staple on the left side of the offensive line in 2025 as quarterback
Justin Herbert's blind-side protector.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
June 12, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said that he expects wide receiver
Mike Williams (undisclosed) to b ready for training camp at the end of July after missing mandatory minicamp this week due to an undisclosed injury. It's not a great start for Williams this offseason after a rough first season in 2024 coming back from an ACL tear. He's returning to the team that drafted him seventh overall back in 2017 out of Clemson after catching just 21 of 34 targets for 298 yards and one touchdown in 18 games (five starts) in 2024 with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. The 30-year-old veteran could rebound another year removed from major knee surgery, but the odds are probably against it in a run-first offense at his age. RotoBaller has Williams ranked as the No. 86 fantasy wideout. He should go undrafted in leagues with only 12 teams.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
June 11, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman has been impressed with rookie first-round running back
Omarion Hampton. "He's the total package. You don't see a lot of guys find a hole like he's doing right now," Roman said. The Bolts also signed
Najee Harris in free agency this offseason, but Hampton figures to have a big role in his first year in the NFL and is already ranked higher than Harris at RotoBaller. The 22-year-old had over 1,500 rushing yards in his final two seasons at North Carolina and is extremely athletic. We already know the Chargers are going to run plenty under Roman and head coach Jim Harbaugh, and Hampton should reap the benefits. As far as his fantasy value goes, Harris is going to steal valuable touches as an all-around back, but Hampton will have clear RB2 upside and could easily be L.A.'s preferred RB by season's end.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
June 6, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Ladd McConkey dealt with multiple injuries last season, but still only missed one game during the regular season. The rookie wideout seemed banged up throughout most of the season, but still put up strong numbers. He finished with 1,149 receiving yards with 82 receptions and seven touchdowns in 16 games (14 starts) with the Chargers last season. Now, McConkey is focusing on the art of falling down in order to protect himself from injury. McConkey wants to learn how to fall safely to avoid serious injury and stay on the field as much as possible. It's nice to see such a young player taking care of his body this early in his career. McConkey was a stud last season and his value figures to only go up.
--Andy WebbSource: Sports Illustrated
June 4, 2025
The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Wednesday that they signed outside linebacker Bud Dupree to a one-year contract extension worth $6 million. Dupree will be rewarded after a good first season in L.A. with 28 tackles (18 solo), six sacks, six tackles for loss, 10 QB hits, his second career interception, two pass breakups and a forced fumble in 17 regular-season games (no starts). The former 22nd overall selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2015 NFL draft out of Kentucky will return for a second season with the Bolts in 2025. The 32-year-old will try to help make up for the loss of pass-rusher Joey Bosa, who left in free agency in the offseason. Dupree had his most productive season in 2019 with the Steelers, when he recorded a career-high 11.5 sacks and 68 total tackles. Fantasy managers in IDP formats can ignore Dupree.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Chargers
May 19, 2025
NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reports that first-round rookie running back
Omarion Hampton has agreed to a four-year, $17.77 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. The contract includes a $9.56 million signing bonus. Hampton and backfield mate
Najee Harris are set to split time in Jim Harbaugh's offense, which caps the former Tar Heel's immediate upside. Still, his long-term outlook is looking quite rosy. Like Harris, the 22-year-old is a powerful, bruising back with a three-down skill set, though he possesses much more explosiveness than the veteran. Even if Hampton starts the season off behind his teammate in carries, it wouldn't be surprising to see him even out the workload over the course of the season -- if not outright taking the job if he adjusts quickly enough.
--Alex CiullaSource: Jordan Schultz
May 4, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers rookie first-round running back
Omarion Hampton said on The Jim Rome Show that he believes he and
Najee Harris can create "a dominant backfield" in 2025. "We know they're going to run the ball, so I'm loving it," Hampton said. The 22nd overall pick was a workhorse back in college at North Carolina and was incredibly productive for the Tar Heels with 2,033 scrimmage yards in 2024, which was the third-most in the nation. Although he won't be a workhorse immediately for the Bolts while sharing touches with Harris, Hampton should have plenty of fantasy upside immediately in a run-first L.A. offense. He averaged over 175 total yards per game in 12 contests in 2024 and was also the fourth FBS player with 1,500-plus rushing yards and 15-plus rushing touchdowns in back-to-back seasons since 2016.
--Keith HernandezSource: Jim Rome
May 2, 2025
Per The Athletic's Daniel Popper, the Los Angeles Chargers chose not to exercise offensive lineman Zion Johnson's fifth-year option for the 2026 season, according to a source. Johnson will now become an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming 2025 campaign. The Bolts chose the 25-year-old offensive guard with the 17th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft out of Boston College, and he has started all 49 regular-season games that he's appeared in over his first three seasons in the league. The Chargers declining his fifth-year option doesn't mean that the two sides won't eventually agree on a new deal in the future. Johnson should be a starter at either left guard or at center for the Bolts in 2025 in his fourth NFL season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
April 29, 2025
The Los Angeles Chargers placed the unrestricted free-agent tender on running back
J.K. Dobbins on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The veteran remains eligible to sign with any team, but the Chargers will retain his exclusive negotiating rights if he does not. If he doesn't sign with a new team, he would be due $3.428 million in 2025. After coming back from a torn Achilles last season, Dobbins rushed for 905 yards and nine touchdowns. Surely, the former Baltimore Ravens second-round pick would prefer to play somewhere else after the team added
Najee Harris via free agency and former North Carolina running back
Omarion Hampton in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. This is a situation worth monitoring for fantasy football purposes.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Adam Schefter
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