The LA Chargers haven't lacked starpower in recent years as the team always has a handful of players who are among the best in the sport. Where the Chargers have struggled in the recent past is in the team's roster depth, which no longer seems to be a problem under the new front office.
As a result, it is a lot tougher to pinpoint the 10-best players on the Chargers roster as there are so many candidates for the back-half of the list. Whether it be productive veterans or rising young stars, the Chargers have a healthy mixture of talent across the roster.
The 10-best players on the Chargers roster will undoubtedly fluctuate as the 2025 season goes on. As it stands right now, here is the list following the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 10 best players on the LA Chargers roster:
10. K Cameron Dicker
It may seem a bit silly to include a kicker in the top-10 list but Cameron Dicker has been one of the best kickers in the league since he won the starting job. While he slipped a bit (by his standards) in 2024, Dicker is still regarded as one of the most efficient kickers in the sport.
Dicker has only missed six field goals in his career and five of the misses were from over 50 yards out. He has made 70 of 71 attempts from inside 50 yards, whihc is good for 98.6%.
9. S Elijah Molden
The Chargers loved Elijah Molden so much that the team re-signed him to a three-year deal before free agency even started. With the dust settling from free agency, this deal is even more complementary as the Chargers didn't sign another contract that was longer than two years in length.
Molden, who was traded for right before the season began, was such an instrumental part of what made the Chargers successful. His versatility was extremely important to the Bolts' defense, but more important than that, his presence allowed Derwin James to play in the nickel, where he is the best.
Molden isn't just on this list because of what he can do individually. He is on this list because he makes his teammates around him better.
8. CB Tarheeb Still
Tarheeb Still gets the nod over Molden due to his youth and the fact he should be even better in his second season. The young corner was a revelation for the Chargers in 2024 and was a key reason why the team was so successful on defense to begin with.
Nobody truly expected the No. 137 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to emerge as one of the best young corners in the league. In 14 games, Still picked off four passes with one touchdown, 10 passes defended, and 62 combined tackles.
Still's 73.3 Pro Football Focus coverage grade ranked 32nd among 222 cornerbacks last season.
7. LB Daiyan Henley
Daiyan Henley established himself as one of the biggest breakout stars on the Chargers after a slow rookie season under former head coach Brandon Staley. Henley was never even close to tapping into his potential in his rookie year and started to show it in droves in his sophomore campaign.
Henley went from playing 53 total defensive snaps his rookie season to playing 91% of the team's defensive snaps in 2024 with 147 combined tackles. He was the biggest Pro Bowl snub on the entire roster and did all this with a secret shoulder injury nobody knew about.
6. OT Joe Alt
The best rookie tackle in the sport last season is already one of the best tackles, period. Joe Alt is the No. 1 candidate to rise on these ranks throughout the 2025 season and could even pass up his teammate on the Chargers' offensive line.
Alt checked all the boxes in his rookie season and there is no reason to think he won't get even better in his sophomore year. The former Notre Dame tackle was one of the most surefire tackle prospects in recent draft history and he proved why in his rookie season.
5. EDGE Khalil Mack
This may seem a bit low for Khalil Mack, especially after it was the Chargers' No. 1 goal this offseason to re-sign him. Mack is still extremely valuable to the Chargers and is one of the best players on the roster, but it's hard to rank him much higher than No. 5.
Part of these rankings involve projections on how these players will perform in 2025. With that context, it's easier to see how Mack could slip a tad given his age and the fact he already was a step slower in 2024.
The main hope for the Chargers is that the regression curve happens gradually, not suddenly. If it does happen suddenly, Mack could fall out of the top 10 altogether.
4. WR Ladd McConkey
Ladd McConkey wasted no time establishing himself as one of the most productive wideouts in the entire league. Chargers fans were excited for McConkey and what he would be able to do in his rookie season but nobody truly expected the levels he reached.
McConkey didn't just prove he can be a productive wideout in the NFL, he proved he is a legitimate No. 1 option in the passing game. He may not look the part of the usual franchise wideout but the production and skillset is there.
Even in a fantastic season, McConkey's name was drowned out in larger league circles due to the other rookie wideouts in the 2024 class. With another strong season in 2025, McConkey can establish himself not just as one of the best young receivers in the league, but one of the best receivers period.
3. OT Rashawn Slater
Rashawn Slater was great from the moment he stepped foot on an NFL field. Injuries slowed him down a tad but with a clean bill of health in 2024, Slater returned back to his franchise tackle form and re-asserted himself as one of the best tackles in the sport.
Slater is due for a contract extension this offseason and the Chargers would be wise to get it done as soon as possible and not drag it out into the regular season. Slater has proven he is worth franchise tackle money, and the Bolts have the salary-cap space to spend.
After a great first year under Harbaugh, don't be surprised if Slater earns his first First-Team All-Pro in 2025.
2. S Derwin James
It would have seemed impossible to rank Derwin James this high a year ago. While there was never a doubt about his ceiling and his inclusion in the top 10, James was regressing every year under Staley.
Thankfully, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is now calling the shots and James is back to his old ways. James put together his best year in quite some time in 2024, earning himself a Second-Team All-Pro nod to go with it.
Are there some limitations in James' game? Sure. But his ceiling is extremely high and the Chargers have done a great job of leaning into that ceiling.
1. QB Justin Herbert
Could it have been anyone else? The entire reason why the Chargers have a legitimate Super Bowl window — and why Jim Harbaugh is the head coach to begin with — is because of Justin Herbert. An NFL team has to have one of the best quarterbacks in the league to win a Super Bowl. The Chargers have that.
Herbert has proven time and time again he has the raw talent to elevate the Chargers into that upper tier. The final step is putting it altogether when the lights are the brightest in the NFL Playoffs. It may not have always been his fault, but Herbert has two bad playoff performances under his belt, leaving many outside of LA to question if he is the man for the job.
There are no questions among Chargers fans. Herbert is the heartbeat of the franchise and is the best player on the entire roster.