Jul 16, 2026, 2:11 PM ET

Across 14 games in 2025, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston recorded 51 catches for 735 yards and eight touchdowns on 84 targets. The 24-year-old appeared to be on his way to a superstar breakout after getting off to a hot start to the season, but his production slowed down, and he finished the year as the WR34 in per-game PPR scoring. Entering 2026, the Chargers have a deep group of pass-catchers between Johnston, wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Tre' Harris, and tight ends Oronde Gadsden II and David Njoku. However, veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen currently remains unsigned after leading Los Angeles in targets in 2025. The Chargers also have a new offensive coordinator in Mike McDaniel, who could help unlock Johnston's full potential. As the WR39 by current redraft ADP, Johnston could be a player for fantasy managers to target in drafts.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 16, 2026, 10:02 AM ET

For a four-week stretch early into his rookie season, Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden had the appearance of the league's next young superstar. From Weeks 6 through 9, the 2025 fifth-round pick caught 24 of 27 targets for 377 yards and two scores, essentially a full-season pace of 100-1,600-8 that, unsurprisingly, made him the fantasy TE1 over that stretch. While he was unable to maintain that torrid pace the rest of the way, catching only 17 passes for 211 yards and one score over his final eight games, there is plenty to be excited about heading into his second season, especially now that he finds himself in Mike McDaniel's quick-game-heavy offense. While the free agent acquisitions of David Njoku and Charlie Kolar add a level of competition that was not present in 2025, Gadsden is still the safest bet to lead the position group in targets, and with veteran receiver Keenan Allen no longer under contract, he could step into an important role as one of the team's primary chain-movers. Currently ranked as RotoBaller's TE16, Gadsden is the exact type of high-upside swing that redraft managers should be looking to target in the closing rounds of drafts if they missed out or were unwilling to spend up on the elite tier of the position.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 16, 2026, 9:51 AM ET

With Los Angeles Chargers veterans reporting for training camp on July 28, one of the most interesting position battles to pay attention to will be at tight end, after the late free agent signing of 10th-year professional David Njoku helped to make theirs one of the more well-rounded tight end rooms in the league. The Chargers return 2025 fifth-round pick Oronde Gadsden II after he reached some historic highs as a rookie, and the team made an early commitment to free agent Charlie Kolar, one of the best blocking tight ends in the league. It was the addition of Njoku in mid-May, though, that brought true multi-functionality to the room in Mike McDaniel's new offense. A first-round pick in 2017, Njoku had fallen clearly behind rookie Harold Fannin Jr. in his final season with the Browns, but given a fresh start with one of the most creative playcallers in the league, he could again find sporadic fantasy relevance in 2026. At RotoBaller's TE32, he is not a player worth targeting in redraft leagues, but he is a low-cost depth piece for contending dynasty managers and is worthy of the occasional late-round swing in best ball drafts.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 13, 2026, 4:01 PM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers made tight end Charlie Kolar a priority addition in free agency earlier this year, signing him to a three-year, $24.3 million deal. He was an elite run-blocker with the Baltimore Ravens and will continue to fill that role in his new digs in L.A., but The Athletic's Daniel Popper also thinks that Kolar has "a ton of untapped potential as a pass-catcher." If everything falls perfectly, Kolar could break out as an offensive contributor in his first year with the Bolts. He didn't have much of a chance in Baltimore behind both Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, but he'll have more opportunities in the passing game with the Chargers. Kolar has never caught more than 10 passes in a season, and his career high in receiving yards came last year with 142. It means that he won't really be on anyone's fantasy radar in 2026, but Popper thinks the 27-year-old former fourth-rounder in 2022 out of Iowa State will "surpass those figures handily in 2026." If Oronde Gadsden misses time with an injury this year, Kolar could be a sneaky waiver-wire addition in two-TE leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Daniel Popper

Jul 13, 2026, 3:49 PM ET

After being selected 22nd overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton finished his rookie season with 737 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 156 touches across nine games. The 23-year-old's season was derailed by the left ankle fracture he suffered in Week 5, as it caused him to miss Weeks 6-14, and he dealt with lingering ankle soreness even after his return. However, Hampton should be fully healthy and ready to go entering 2026. He was effective when on the field last season, finishing as the RB13 in per-game PPR scoring. Hampton will also be working with a new offensive coordinator this season in Mike McDaniel, who could help unlock Hampton's upside as both an explosive rusher and a pass-catcher. In dynasty formats, Hampton's value is already very high. Still, he could vault himself into true fantasy superstar status if everything goes according to plan in 2026. Contending dynasty managers may want to explore all-in trade packages for Hampton ahead of a potential breakout campaign.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 12, 2026, 2:11 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey did not come close to matching his rookie breakout last season, but the path back to a bigger year is still there. He finished 2025 with 66 catches for 789 yards and six touchdowns after going 82-1,149-7 as a rookie. Even with the drop, McConkey led the Chargers in receiving yards while sharing work with Keenan Allen, Quentin Johnston, Oronde Gadsden II, and Tre' Harris. Allen remains unsigned, and that matters after he paced the team with 81 receptions. Johnston and Gadsden are not going away, but McConkey should have a better shot to sit at the front of the target line if Allen does not return. Mike McDaniel's arrival only adds to the appeal. McConkey has already piled up 799 yards after the catch through two seasons, and his quickness should play well in an offense built around motion and easy touches. His hamstring strain needs to be checked once camp begins, though he is expected to be ready. At WR20 in RotoBaller's rankings, McConkey is priced like a WR2 with room to climb.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 9, 2026, 3:58 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tre' Harris has a better Year 2 setup than his rookie numbers show, but his path to consistent targets will be complicated. Harris caught just 30 passes for 324 yards and one touchdown in 17 games last season, a quiet start for a 2025 second-round pick. The Chargers still have reasons to keep developing him. He is 24, has 6-foot-3 size, and averaged 17.2 yards per catch at Ole Miss before Los Angeles drafted him 55th overall. Mike McDaniel's arrival also gives the Chargers offense a different look around Justin Herbert, which at least keeps the door open for new usage patterns. The issue is that Harris has to earn targets, not just snaps. Ladd McConkey is the clear top receiver, Quentin Johnston is directly ahead of him on the depth chart, and Oronde Gadsden plus David Njoku add tight-end volume to the mix. At WR81 on RotoBaller's board, Harris is a late redraft swing and dynasty hold, not someone to buy as if the breakout already happened.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 8, 2026, 9:37 AM ET

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal led the team in rushing in 2025 and, with very little fanfare, turned in four different performances as the RB8 or better. While the 2024 sixth-round pick was obviously not the first plan in Jim Harbaugh's offense, veteran acquisition Najee Harris and first-round pick Omarion Hampton both succumbed to serious injuries that thrust Vidal into a starting role in which he handled himself admirably. In seven games in 2025, Vidal saw at least 10 carries, and despite playing behind an injury-ravaged offensive line that has been panned as one of the league's worst units, he averaged more than 80 rushing yards in such contests, scoring three touchdowns on the ground and a fourth through the air. While free agent acquisition Keaton Mitchell has rightfully been spotlighted as a natural fit in new coordinator Mike McDaniel's speed-based offense, at only 5'8" and 191 pounds, with a history of significant injuries, he is unlikely to see a substantial uptick in carries should presumed bell cow Hampton again miss extended time. In such a scenario, it would likely be Vidal who handles the bulk of the early-down work, and in what projects to be one of the league's most improved offenses, that could easily translate to continued fantasy success. Vidal is RotoBaller's dynasty RB63, and in deeper redraft leagues, he's worth a look at the end of drafts as one of the more valuable insurance backs in the league.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 7, 2026, 9:25 AM ET

Rookie wide receiver Brenen Thompson ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Combine, and while that has not always translated to fantasy success, in landing with the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, he pairs with the playcaller perhaps best equipped to take advantage of that speed. As the head coach in Miami, Mike McDaniel often made speed the defining quality of his high-powered offenses, producing fantasy-friendly results for receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and running back De'Von Achane, and in his first season as the Chargers' offensive coordinator, the team has given him pieces to build a new speed-driven attack, Thompson included. While the undersized receiver could struggle to carve out a consistent role in a room with Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and 2025 second-round pick Tre' Harris, along with a pair of capable pass-catching tight ends, his 4.26 speed will make him a threat to go the distance anytime he's on the field. Thompson should not factor into plans for 2026 redraft leagues, but he's at least worthy of consideration in the late rounds of best ball drafts and is an intriguing dynasty stash in deeper leagues.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 30, 2026, 10:00 AM ET

Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell has averaged more than six yards per rushing attempt through his first three seasons in the league, but injuries and a sub-200-pound frame have limited him to fewer than 60 carries every year. Landing in a Chargers offense, where new coordinator Mike McDaniel values speed above perhaps any other trait, Mitchell has a chance to see the largest workload of his career. Having run a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Combine, Mitchell is a player who only gets faster when the pads come on. Per Next Gen Stats, his 14.49 MPH average run speed per carry in 2025 led all players with at least 50 attempts and was more than a full mile per hour faster than the next player on the list, Miami's De'Von Achane. While it's unreasonable to expect a similar level of impact from Mitchell, Achane was one of the league's most explosive players in McDaniel's offense, and if the 24-year-old former undrafted free agent can see even a modest uptick in usage in that same system, he could see weekly fantasy viability as a flex-worthy starter. All indications are that Los Angeles' backfield will run through 2025 first-rounder Omarion Hampton, but Mitchell has both the ability and the environment to develop into one of the most efficient change-of-pace backs in the league, and at RotoBaller's dynasty RB80, he's a low-cost trade target who could see his value rise considerably in the coming years.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 26, 2026, 4:58 PM ET

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. The 28-year-old also rushed for a career-high 498 yards and two scores, which helped him finish as the fantasy QB10 on a per-game basis. Entering 2026, Herbert could be in a position to put together his best fantasy season to date. The Chargers have a new play-caller in place in Mike McDaniel, who should help open up the offense. Los Angeles will also have its star tackle duo of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back in action after the two combined to play just six games in 2025. Finally, Herbert has a strong core of young playmakers around him in wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, tight end Oronde Gadsden II, and running back Omarion Hampton. If the Chargers offense takes a step forward in its first season under McDaniel and Herbert maintains his increased rushing aggression from a season ago, he could be undervalued by current redraft ADP as the ninth quarterback off the board.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 23, 2026, 1:32 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston has been excited about new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's scheme going into the 2026 season, and it could allow him to be even more dangerous in terms of yards after the catch, according to Omar Navarro of Chargers.com. "I feel like the scheme he has is set up for the yards after catch," Johnston said. "There's not always a lot of room for that in this league, but just showing us different angles and stuff to get to the ball after the catch and turning, going across the field and doing different stuff in the plays he has built for us." In his final collegiate season at TCU, almost half of Johnston's receiving yards came after the catch (532 of 1,068 yards). The 24-year-old former 21st overall pick in 2023 has had trouble with drops in the past, but he has also improved in each of his three years in the NFL, and he's led the team with eight touchdowns in each of the last two years. With veteran Keenan Allen unlikely to re-sign, Johnston could take another step forward in McDaniel's offense in 2026 as a big-play threat for the Bolts and fantasy managers alike. RotoBaller has Johnston ranked as the No. 49 fantasy WR for the upcoming campaign.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Chargers.com - Omar Navarro

Jun 23, 2026, 12:59 PM ET

A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden emerged as a surprisingly important piece of his team's offense as a rookie. Across 15 games (seven starts), the 22-year-old hauled in 49 catches for 664 yards and three touchdowns on 69 targets. With an average of 13.6 yards per reception, Gadsden II showed off an ability to stretch the field that is rare at the tight end position. Entering 2026, Gadsden II's playing time outlook has some questions following the Chargers' offseason acquisitions of veteran tight ends David Njoku and Charlie Kolar. However, Njoku is only signed through 2026, and Kolar profiles more as a blocking tight end. As long as Gadsden II continues to progress in his second NFL season, he profiles as the long-term answer for the Chargers at the tight end position. In dynasty leagues where Gadsden II's value may have dipped after Los Angeles' offseason moves, managers should take advantage of the opportunity to buy low.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 23, 2026, 12:50 PM ET

After spending the first nine seasons of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, veteran tight end David Njoku signed a one-year contract for the 2026 campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers in May. Njoku's production declined significantly in 2025, as he missed five games with a knee injury and finished the year with 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns on 48 targets. Njoku also had his role in the Browns' offense largely usurped by tight end Harold Fannin Jr., whose emergence as a rookie in 2025 made Njoku largely expendable. Njoku could now be facing a similar dynamic in Los Angeles, as he will be sharing the field with up-and-coming Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II. The Chargers should provide a significantly healthier offensive ecosystem for Njoku than the Browns did, which could lead to a production boost even in a limited role. Still, Njoku's upside appears to be capped as long as Gadsden II remains healthy. As Njoku enters his age-30 season, his dynasty value appears to be at an all-time low.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 17, 2026, 10:55 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers second-year running back Omarion Hampton said that offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel told him he reminds him of Denver Broncos Hall of Fame RB Terrell Davis, according to Alex Insdorf. The Bolts took the 23-year-old with the 22nd overall pick in last year's NFL draft out of the University of North Carolina. He was set up for a major role earlier than expected in L.A. when Najee Harris suffered a torn Achilles in Week 1, but then Hampton missed seven weeks with a fractured ankle, ultimately finishing with 545 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 124 carries (4.4 yards per carry) while adding 32 receptions for 192 yards and another score in nine regular-season games (six starts). Comparing Hampton to Davis is high praise from the new OC, but if healthy, Hampton has clear Year 2 breakout potential. With better health, an improved Chargers' offensive line, and more usage in McDaniel's system, Hampton has obvious RB1 upside going into his sophomore campaign. RotoBaller has Hampton ranked as the No. 11 fantasy RB for the upcoming 2026 season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Alex Insdorf