The Los Angeles Chargers will face a difficult path toward an AFC West title in 2026.
Even after winning 11 games in 2025 and completely overhauling their roster and their schematic outlook this offseason, they have a difficult schedule to contend with. After two easy matchups against the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders in Weeks 1 and 2, they'll need to face seven-game gauntlet that extends both before and after their bye week. Their first matchups with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs will be sandwiched right in the middle of that.
But there's still more than enough reason to be optimistic about the Chargers' chances in the AFC West heading into 2026. Let's take a look at the three most compelling ones.
3 reasons the Chargers have a real shot at the AFC West in 2026
1. Mike McDaniel has a real shot to turn this offense around.
This has been explored at length this offseason, and it's almost certainly the Chargers' most exciting storyline heading into 2026.
After the inconsistencies and stagnancies of the Greg Roman experience, McDaniel represents more than just a change in the team's offensive outlook. He represents a coordinator that is willing to continuously adapt his scheme to the needs of the roster and the situation.
Sure, the Chargers have added the personnel to complement his outside zone-heavy, YAC-centric scheme. There are likely major breakouts in the works for players like Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Omarion Hampton.
But the most inspiring aspect of McDaniel's arrival is his distinct vision for the offense as a whole. He worked extensively with Justin Herbert during the offseason program, stripping back his mechanics and helping him acclimate to the flow of his timing-based air attack. He knows how to leverage the talents of his offensive protection, and he knows exactly what he can get out of Los Angeles' arsenal of offensive weapons.
If we can expect the defense to stay linear under Chris O'Leary, an offensive resurgence for the Chargers could quickly make them one of the NFL's most dangerous teams.
2. Justin Herbert is elite, even without a playoff win under his belt.
The noise around Justin Herbert heading into his seventh NFL season has been, let's just say, loud. While Herbert has established himself as one of the league's most solid and consistent quarterbacks, he has yet to lead the team to a playoff victory.
In fact, he hasn't been all that impressive in either of Los Angeles' past two playoff appearances.
But he has all the traits the NFL requires of its elite quarterbacks. He can make the simple throws, working his way downfield within the context of his offensive scheme, but he can also extend plays with his legs and make impressive downfield hurls at any moment. In spite of the Chargers' abysmal protection in 2025, he still managed to post 3,727 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. While his interception numbers sky-rocketed, a large portion of those were a result of the leaky offensive line in front of him.
With more stability and the right schematic outlook, Herbert has a chance to show the entire league what Chargers fans already know— he's an elite quarterback, even without a playoff win.
3. There's lots of room for variance with both the Broncos and the Chiefs.
This one is out of the Chargers' control. But given the competitive nature of their division and the difficulty of their schedule, they'll need a little bit of outside help in order to claim the AFC West title.
The Broncos, first and foremost, cannot win 14 games again in 2026. Denver was an excellent team last season, putting out one of the top defensive units in the league on a week-to-week basis and finidng enough of an offensive flow to complement that. Bo Nix should continue to take strides in his third NFL season, solidifying the latter portion of that equation. The Jaylen Waddle acquisition is also worrying. But Denver won 11 games by just one score last season, and they've lost some veteran talent on defense with the departures of John Franklin-Myers and Dre Greenlaw in free agency.
Kansas City, meanwhile, will be looking to rebound from their nine-win 2025 campaign that saw a devastating ACL tear to Patrick Mahomes in Week 15. They've added Kenneth Walker III this offseason and completely rebuilt their secondary in hopes of finding a resurgence on both sides of the ball. But much of this, especially on the offensive side, will hinge on their unproven playmakers— such as their receiving corps of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, and rookie Cyrus Allen.
Because there's a wider range of outcomes for both the Broncos and the Chiefs in 2026, it leaves ample room for the Chargers to claw their way to a division title.
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