Sep 8, 2026, 11:31 AM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers have listed Charlie Kolar as the No. 1 tight end on their depth chart as they get set for their Week 1 matchup this Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Arizona Cardinals. Oronde Gadsden is listed behind Kolar, followed by David Njoku, Scott Matlock, and Evan Svoboda. It was clear from the outset that the Bolts had big plans for Kolar in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's scheme when they signed him to a three-year, $24.3 million contract in free agency in March. Despite catching only 30 of his 41 targets for 409 yards and four touchdowns in his first four NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, the 27-year-old has a complete skill set at the position that the Chargers clearly value. Kolar is ahead of Gadsden on the depth chart for now, but it does not necessarily mean that he will become a must-start at the position in fantasy football leagues. For now, Kolar is an option for a waiver-wire pickup in deeper leagues for managers in need of TE depth. He is currently rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Chargers.com

Sep 8, 2026, 10:55 AM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers D/ST is looking like a great streaming option for a Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals offense could struggle this season with Jacoby Brissett leading the way at quarterback. While they do have options with Trey McBride at tight end and Marvin Harrison Jr. at wide receiver, rookie running back Jeremiyah Love is still working his way back from injury. The Chargers still feature playmakers in Khalil Mack, Denzel Perryman, and Derwin James. Look for the Chargers to come out aggressive in Week 1 under new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary and have a solid game against the Cardinals offense. With home matchups against the Cardinals and the Raiders in the first two weeks, the Chargers D/ST looks like a great play to begin the season--Brian Buckey - RotoBaller
Source: Los Angeles Chargers

Sep 8, 2026, 1:17 AM ET

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tre' Harris is a potential Year 2 breakout candidate, especially as the Chargers' offense continues to trend upward. Not every team can support a fantasy-relevant outlook for their No. 3 receiver, but Los Angeles' offense is powerful enough to make Harris an intriguing stash in 12+ team leagues. Quarterback Justin Herbert averaged 32 pass attempts per game last year, despite drastically lowering his total number of pass attempts in the second half of the season while managing an injury. A fully healthy Herbert might throw the ball 35 times a game, and many of those targets will go to Harris, his No. 3 option in the passing attack. The 24-year-old receiver already started to flash upside as a rookie last year, catching 30 passes for 324 yards and one touchdown. Although he is playing behind Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, he has an opportunity to step into a bigger role if either of those receivers suffer from drop issues or miss time due to injury. It's way too early to confidently insert Harris into your lineups, but he's at least worth adding off the waiver wire in 12+ team leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 7, 2026, 4:40 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell (undisclosed) was back at practice on Monday after missing each of the last six practices, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. It is a good sign that Mitchell is back at practice to begin the new week, but it does not guarantee that he will be active for Week 1 this Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Arizona Cardinals. If the 24-year-old is limited or out to begin the regular season, it would mean more backfield work for both Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal. In new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's scheme, Mitchell, Hampton, and Vidal are all expected to be used in some sort of committee approach. However, Hampton is expected to see the majority of opportunities, with Mitchell and Vidal picking up scraps as change-of-pace options to keep defenses on their toes. Mitchell has intriguing explosiveness and big-play ability out of the backfield, but his inability to stay healthy so far at the NFL level and committee involvement make him merely a bench stash in fantasy leagues rather than a weekly start to open the 2026 campaign.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim

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

Sep 6, 2026, 10:38 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal has reportedly been the best pass-protector in the backfield during camp, according to Alexander Insdorf. Vidal won't be the starter, but that doesn't mean that he won't have a significant role in the offense this season. His above-average pass-blocking abilities could get him on the field more frequently than fantasy managers might think. Omarion Hampton is the starter, but Vidal could have an advantage over Keaton Mitchell (knee) for the No. 2 role in the backfield. Vidal might be fantasy relevant outside of being the handcuff to Hampton. He's worth stashing for fantasy managers seeking additional depth in the backfield.--Andy Webb
Source: Pro Football Reference

Sep 6, 2026, 2:15 PM ET

A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden was a pleasant surprise for fantasy managers during his rookie season. Across 15 games (seven starts), the 23-year-old recorded 49 catches for 664 yards and three touchdowns on 69 targets. Despite the encouraging rookie campaign, Gadsden's fantasy value has fallen over the course of the summer. The Chargers added a pair of veteran tight ends in the offseason in Charlie Kolar and David Njoku, both of whom may currently be above Gadsden on the team's depth chart due to their superior skill set as blockers. Los Angeles also has plenty of target competition for Gadsden in its wide receiver corps between wideouts Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre' Harris. While Gadsden still carries some upside, his lack of a clear role in the Chargers offense makes him a player for redraft managers to avoid ahead of 2026.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 4:19 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 touchdowns on 83 attempts, which helped him finish the year as the fantasy QB10 in both overall and per-game scoring. Entering 2026, there's reason to believe Herbert could be well-positioned to top 4,000 passing yards for the first time since 2022. The Chargers have a new offensive coordinator in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who should help open up the offense with more explosive plays down the field. Herbert also has a much healthier offensive line in front of him and an extremely talented group of offensive weapons to throw the ball to. As long as he stays healthy, Herbert has a chance to put together his most productive statistical season since 2021, when he threw for 5,014 yards and 35 touchdowns.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 4, 2026, 4:16 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston quietly put together the best season of his career in 2025, and the setup around him looks even more interesting now. Johnston caught 51 passes for a career-high 735 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games while averaging 14.4 yards per catch, another career best. It was also his second straight season with eight scores. Mike McDaniel takes over the offense this year and has been particularly bullish on Johnston, praising the growth he has already shown and the explosiveness he brings to the receiver room. Johnston should also get more chances to create after the catch, something he has openly said fits his game. The summer ended on a high note when he hauled in a 65-yard touchdown from Justin Herbert in the preseason finale. Ladd McConkey remains the safer bet to lead Los Angeles in targets, and Tre' Harris will have a role, so Johnston may still have some uneven weeks. After improving again in 2025, though, there are more ways for him to produce in this offense than there were a year ago.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 4:00 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey has a much better setup heading into his third season. His numbers slipped last year, going from 82 catches for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie to 66 catches for 789 yards and six scores. The Chargers responded by moving on from Greg Roman and bringing in Mike McDaniel to run the offense. McDaniel's use of motion, spacing and quicker throws should suit McConkey, who was at his best as a rookie when he could find space and create after the catch. There's also a chunk of work available after Keenan Allen led Los Angeles with 122 targets and 81 receptions last season before departing. Quentin Johnston and Tre' Harris will still be involved, but McConkey enters the year as one of Justin Herbert's primary options. He also got through training camp after dealing with a hamstring strain during the spring. McConkey checks in at WR15 on RotoBaller's latest rankings, and the change in offensive direction gives him a good shot to rebound after last year's quieter season.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 3, 2026, 3:50 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell (undisclosed) was not practicing on Thursday during the portion open to the media, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. Mitchell was working off to the side with a trainer, and he has now missed six straight practices. It is unclear what the 24-year-old is dealing with as the start of the 2026 regular season quickly approaches, and Mitchell's status for the Week 1 contest on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Arizona Cardinals is now in question. If Mitchell is limited or out to begin the year, second-year back Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal will both have higher fantasy ceilings against Arizona. A former undrafted free agent from East Carolina, Mitchell played in just 26 games (two starts) in his first three NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens due to injuries, although he has always been an intriguing big-play threat out of the backfield with explosive tendencies. When Mitchell, Hampton, and Vidal are all healthy in 2026, offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel plans for them all to have a role, although Hampton is the clear favorite to lead the Bolts in backfield touches. Mitchell's fantasy ceiling and floor will not be very high unless Hampton misses time with an injury, but Mitchell himself must get healthy first. RotoBaller has him ranked as the RB46.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim

Sep 3, 2026, 11:46 AM ET

Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton enters Year 2 with a setup that looks a lot friendlier than the one he had as a rookie. Hampton was limited to nine games by ankle injuries in 2025, but still rushed for 545 yards and four touchdowns while catching 32 passes for 192 yards and another score. Mike McDaniel is now running the offense, and Hampton spent camp looking like a natural fit. He was one of the standouts in the joint practice with San Francisco, running through defenders and earning praise from Justin Herbert. The line is not completely worry-free after Tyler Biadasz suffered a season-ending ACL injury, but Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are both back in the starting group after missing major time last year. Hampton also sits first on the depth chart ahead of Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal. RotoBaller has pushed him all the way to RB6 and No. 11 overall in its Sept. 2 half-PPR rankings. If he stays healthy, the breakout case is getting harder to ignore.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 2, 2026, 4:11 PM ET

After spending the first four years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, veteran tight end Charlie Kolar is entering his first season with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2026. Kolar saw very limited usage as a receiver during his time in Baltimore, recording just 30 receptions and four touchdowns across 47 games. In Los Angeles, Kolar could play a similar role as the blocking complement to the Chargers' receiving-focused tight ends Oronde Gadsden and David Njoku. However, Kolar has drawn strong reviews for his work in training camp, and he could be carving out a sizable role in his new team's offense. Given Kolar's extremely limited pass-catching track record, it's too early to prioritize him in fantasy drafts. Still, managers may want to consider him as a deep-league sleeper name to monitor entering 2026.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 1, 2026, 10:24 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden impressed in 2025, finishing as the TE17 and hauling in 49 of his 69 targets for 664 yards (13.6 yards per catch) and three touchdowns. He was the most explosive tight end in football with a 131.3 explosive rating, and while he was very efficient and productive, his blocking limitations and the addition of David Njoku and Charlie Kolar are making it more difficult for him to find playing time or to increase his snap share. Additionally, in most of the Chargers' preseason games, Gadsden often played with the backups. Gadsden may be an explosive option in specific passing situations, but it's possible we'll see his 61.4 percent snap share, which was 28th in the NFL last season, continue to decline with the additional tight ends in the room. RotoBaller ranks Gadsden as the TE31 on the season, making him a clear fade in all one-tight-end formats.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller