The Los Angeles Chargers didn’t just take another loss in Week 2 - they also shuffled a few roles in ways that could matter as the season rolls on. Some players saw their workloads jump.
Others barely moved. And a few names suddenly look a lot more important than they did a week ago.
The clearest beneficiary was Oronde Gadsden II. He entered the year stuck third on the depth chart, with Charlie Kolar and David Njoku ahead of him, but both veterans are now headed to injured reserve.
That opened the door for Gadsden II to take on a much bigger offensive role, and he responded by playing 30 snaps, which accounted for 44% of the offense. That was a 26% increase from Week 1.
Nick Barrett also made a noticeable climb. The fifth-round rookie defensive tackle from South Carolina saw his snap share double, going from 11% in Week 1 to 22% in Week 2. With Dalvin Tomlinson expected to miss time because of injury, Barrett should keep seeing his role grow, especially since he’s already making an impact with the snaps he’s getting.
RJ Mickens was another player whose usage changed in a big way. The Chargers’ sixth-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft went from being inactive in Week 1 to playing 43% of the snaps in Week 2. If Elijah Molden keeps missing time with injury, Mickens looks set to stay in that rotational role.
There were also broader changes across the defense. Genesis Smith’s workload rose from 36% to 57%, while Tony Jefferson jumped from 52% to 76%. Daiyan Henley, meanwhile, played 5% fewer snaps, and that wasn’t injury-related, which makes the drop a little more interesting.
Not every role shift came with a boost. Brenen Thompson, the Chargers’ fourth-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, remained at 18% of the snaps in both weeks.
He came into camp as the WR4 and has held that spot through two games, even with Ladd McConkey limited in Week 2 because of injury. For a player whose calling card is his speed, that unchanged usage creates at least a little concern about how his role develops.
Kimani Vidal’s situation was familiar in a frustrating way. He continues to flash, then gets squeezed into a limited role with very few touches.
That pattern held again in 2026, with Vidal playing just 10% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps in Week 2. He played 7% in Week 3.
Taken together, the second week of the season showed the Chargers are still sorting out who they trust and how often they want them on the field. The changes may not be dramatic yet, but they’re moving pieces around, and these snap counts suggest the adjustments should continue into Week 3.
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