7/20/26 - 2026 Los Angeles Chargers Fantasy Football Preview | Justin Herbert, Ladd McConkey & Omarion Hampton

**Ryan Weiss** (0:00)
Welcome to No Putt Intended, presented by Club Fantasy. It is our Look Inside series. This is a very special set of episodes we do all summer long, where every team gets their own episode. We're just breaking down the fantasy prospects. And we have reached a team that has always won, that I love and over project. And a lot of times they break my heart. That is The Los Angeles Chargers. What do we think is going to happen this year? It was a tale of two seasons in 2025 Can they do it all for one good season in 2026? Let's get into it.
What is up? Welcome to No Pun Intended, presented by Club Fantasy. Ryan Weiss in the host seat for the Look Inside series, and with me on this journey, Josh Hudson. Josh, we are on to yet another team, the Los Angeles Chargers.

**Josh Hudson** (1:09)
I think it's hilarious how you talk about how you always over-project the Chargers. I definitely think that I probably over-projected them too, so we're at least gonna lay in that bed together, buddy.

**Ryan Weiss** (1:19)
And then they keep hiring these offensive coordinators that I over-project. They had Kellen Moore, I over-projected him. Now they get Mike McDaniel, I tend to over-project him. It's just a match made in hell for my fantasy prospects, but man, do I love these players.

**Josh Hudson** (1:31)
It's just hard to ignore Justin Herbert's big right arm. That's just what it boils down to. It's just like, how do you not let that guy sling it 38 times a game? You know? Yeah, it's crazy.

**Ryan Weiss** (1:45)
I have high, high hopes.
Chargers had a great year, 11 and 6 last year. Obviously, they kept Jim Harbaugh around. However, Jim Harbaugh went ahead and made a change at offensive coordinator. Mike McDaniel, formerly of Miami Dolphins and Every Press Clip from nfl.com for the last four years, is taking over. He will be the offensive coordinator and play caller. How can you not be excited? I'm going to break down the projected offense. I'm going to give you their ADP currently on Underdog. We are recording this episode in early July, so those ADPs are subject to change. Starting quarterback is Justin Herbert. He's going off boards as the QB9. Omarion Hampton is the number one running back. He's going off as the RB8. Yet another episode where they're going right next to each other. That is so weird to me. Kimani Vidal, RB68. Keaton Mitchell comes over from Baltimore, RB44. Your number one wide receiver on this team is Ladd McConkey. He's being drafted as the wide receiver 16 in Fantasy. Quentin Johnston, wide receiver 36 Trey Harris, wide receiver 67 Rookie Brennan Thompson, wide receiver 117
There was a shakeup at tight end. It looked like Oronde Gadsden was going to take over this team, but then they went out and got David Njoku. So Gadsden is going off the board as the tight end 17, and Njoku is the tight end 32
It's a shame. I really want to see good things from Gadsden. Josh, before we get into our two favorite players from this offense, or at least the two we want to talk about, let's talk about this offense in general, because I believe there may be some preconceived notions about Mike McDaniel's offense that isn't exactly true. Ali, interested to hear your take.

**Josh Hudson** (3:14)
I mean, I was really just trying to fit their star players in the Miami Dolphins bucket with Mike McDaniel, quite honestly.

**Ryan Weiss** (3:22)
Yeah, it makes a lot of sense.

**Josh Hudson** (3:23)
There's there's definitely a lot of similarities, I think, when you look at the quality of players, style of play that, you know, when you're transposing onto profiles like Tyree Kill, Jalen Waddle, De'Von Achane, whatever, you know, smorgasbord at the tight end position. Yeah, but, you know, Ladd McConkey obviously took a little bit of a step back last year because they brought back Keenan Allen. Now he gets to be the bona fide wide receiver one. Quentin Johnston has steadily gone up his three seasons in the league, he's actually starting to look like an NFL wide receiver.
There's a lot to like about this offense when you're looking at the things that Mike McDaniel does well. And for as much comparison as to Atanga Vailoa has gotten to Justin Herbert because they went back to back in, you know, what was it, the 2020 NFL draft. Justin Herbert now gets to play in this same offense. And in this offense, Tuatanga Vailoa once led the league in passing.

**Ryan Weiss** (4:23)
Yeah.

**Josh Hudson** (4:24)