The Los Angeles Chargers’ hiring of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has come with no shortage of excitement. There’s palpable buzz surrounding his arrival — not just internally and from the fan base, but fantasy football managers are pumped too.
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said he was looking for a “fresh start” following longtime confidant Greg Roman’s dismissal, and that mission was accomplished. Things will look different in 2026, and that's exactly the point. Whether the variance proves fruitful remains to be seen, though McDaniel’s presence isn’t the only storyline worth monitoring.
Los Angeles' star offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt's health arguably tops the list of trending topics heading into the upcoming season. How the pecking order between the club's trio of tight ends, Charlie Kolar, David Njoku and Oronde Gadsden II shakes out bears watching. They also have several youngsters and new playmakers who could establish themselves as options for franchise quarterback Justin Herbert.
Training camp and the preseason will give us a better idea of what's to come, so stay tuned. News will be coming fast and furious once the pads are on. Consider this an ever-evolving personal guide to the Chargers’ post-summer break progress (or lack thereof).
Note: This story will be updated regularly throughout the Los Angeles Chargers' training camp and preseason.
Latest fantasy football updates for the Chargers: News, injuries and position battles
Keaton Mitchell has inside track for Chargers' RB2 job? -- 8/11
Not only are Mitchell's playmaking abilities noticeable, but so is his involvement (h/t the Guilty as Charged podcast). The Chargers are making a concerted effort to get him the ball in several ways, whether as a receiver or even in the red zone.
Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel literally printed out "wanted" posters for Mitchell and put them up on general manager Joe Hortiz's wall back in April. While that's not a data point, it shouldn't be overlooked. All parties' actions have only validated the sentiment since then.
Rashawn Slater still without clear timeline? -- 8/11
Los Angeles has erred on the side of caution after Slater suffered a "flare-up" in his knee. He said there's "nothing to be concerned about" despite not having a set return date.
The fact that Slater addressed the media is an encouraging sign in itself. The stalwart tackle wouldn't be doing so if he were seriously hurt. Hopefully, for everyone's sake, we see him back on the gridiron in short order.
Chargers' OC Mike McDaniel dumps ice-cold water on Omarion Hampton buzz -- 8/10
When asked if he sees Hampton as the Chargers' workhorse, McDaniel stated:
"This feels super fantasy motivated. Okay, so there's good news and bad news, fantasy owners. Good news is I see all three of of those guys producing at a very high level. The bad news is I can't tell you which games those are. I think there's going to be opportunities for [Hampton] to have a ton of touches."
McDaniel envisions each of Hampton, Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal logging starts "at some point, just by the nature of the NFL." That's not exactly what managers who have to spend a second-round pick on the former UNC standout want to hear, to put it mildly.
Tre Harris is making claim as top-3 WR for Chargers -- 8/9
Head coach Jim Harbaugh stated that Harris is with Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston as the team's "top guys." These comments go hand in hand with FOX Sports’ Eric Williams noting that Harris has been a consistent target for Justin Herbert.
Whether the Chargers' passing attack can support three fantasy-viable WRs, a tight end and a consensus RB1 remains to be seen. Harris' WR66 ranking in point-per-reception (PPR) formats suggests otherwise. If there's anyone who can push the right buttons, though, it's offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
Chargers dodge Rashawn Slater-sized bullet -- 8/5
Slater, who's already returning from a torn patellar tendon, exited Day 6 of practice and spent time in the medical tent. It was a troubling, all-too-familiar sight, though the two-time Pro Bowler was fortunately back on the field with the team roughly 24 hours later.
Phew. Chargers fans and fantasy managers alike understand that this talented offense reaching its ceiling hinges on having Slater and his bookend tackle, Joe Alt.
Chargers OC Mike McDaniel believes Keaton Mitchell has untapped receiving value? -- 8/4
"[Mitchell's] as dynamic as they come with the ball in his hands in space," McDaniel said (h/t ESPN's Dan Graziano). "He's a matchup issue for every defense. I think he has a lot of pass-game value that he hasn't been able to really represent in his career, but it's showing up so far in camp. He's a playmaker that I'm very excited about."
Across his first three pro seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Mitchell recorded 19 grabs and 284 scoreless yards on 24 targets. Small sample size aside, he finished 13th out of 80 backs with at least 10 targets in yards after catch per reception (9.7) last year. Perhaps McDaniel is onto something, giving managers a lot to think about when considering the consensus-ranked RB52 in point-per-reception formats.
ESPN's Dan Graziano doesn't 'expect' Chargers to sign veteran WR before Week 1 -- 8/4
L.A. reunited with franchise legend Keenan Allen, who notably remains a free agent, last August. Bringing back the six-time Pro Bowler, or any established vet still available on the open market, doesn't seem to be in the cards.
From a fantasy perspective, this is a welcome development. While Allen proved useful for the Chargers in real life in 2025, his mind-melding connection, specifically on third down, zapped everyone else's upside. Graziano added that the Chargers "feel great" about their young receiving corps, including rookie Brenen Thompson, Quentin Johnson, Tre' Harris, Ladd McConkey and Derius Davis.
Ladd McConkey should be Chargers' clear WR1 -- 8/3
McConkey made a huge play in the most recent practice where he chased down a deep ball from Herbert, off a double move, and made a diving catch (The Athletic). The crowd was hyped as McConkey got up and celebrated.
This cannot be overstated: McConkey is not just a middle-of-the-field receiver. Fans or fantasy managers with that perception will be grossly mistaken. Mike McDaniel is clearly using him in even more ways than he's previously been used to in L.A. McConkey is the Chargers' WR1. Quentin Johnston will be fantasy-relevant, but my money is on McConkey to be the alpha (Heckman).
Brenen Thompson making explosive plays on the regular -- 8/3
This might matter more in 2027 or in dynasty formats, but Brenan Thompson continues to make big plays. His speed has shown up regularly and even Herbert has had great things to say about the rookie:
"“He’s going to be very good. He’s going to make a lot of plays for us.” (The Athletic)
Omarion Hampton is looking forward to being more involved in passing game -- 7/29
Appearing on an interview with Kay Adams, Hampton talked about Mike McDaniel involving the running backs in a lot of what the wide receivers do in terms of drills. Hampton said he was excited to be more versatile
Adams asked if Hampton believes McDaniel is the guy to be able to get him more involved in the passing game:
"Yeah, Mike is definitely the guy for sure. He definitely wants to add the running backs to all the wide receiver stuff."
Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh says Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are good to go -- 7/29
Slater and Alt have been medically "cleared" for camp, according to Harbaugh (h/t Daniel Popper of The Athletic). The former is coming back from a torn patellar tendon, while the latter is working his way back from a surgically repaired high-ankle sprain.
They aren't skill players, yet having Slater and Alt is fantastic news for the entire Chargers offense, considering the operation collapsed without them in 2025.
Do the Chargers' young stars live up to the expectations?
Ladd McConkey has a prime opportunity to reestablish himself as one of the NFL's best young wideouts after a disappointing sophomore campaign. Omarion Hampton will look to respond to an injury-marred rookie showing by making good on his first-round pedigree. The pieces are in place; it's a matter of bringing the vision to life.
Can Tre' Harris carve out a role?
Keep an eye on second-year wide receiver Tre' Harris. He earned Harbaugh's attention earlier this offseason. The Mississippi product's development has the potential to alter Los Angeles' pass-catching hierarchy.
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