The Chargers may be staring at a wide receiver puzzle in Week 2, and Brenen Thompson could end up being part of the answer.
Ladd McConkey’s rib injury is the main issue. He left Sunday’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals, was labeled day-to-day by Jim Harbaugh, and then did not practice Wednesday. That leaves his status for Sunday’s game against the Raiders very much up in the air.
Los Angeles has already taken another hit at the position. The team placed KeAndre Lambert-Smith on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury, which thins out a receiver group that looked deeper before the season started. In response, the Chargers added veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the practice squad, along with Gary Jennings.
If McConkey can’t play, Thompson is one of the names to watch for a bigger workload. The rookie has been one of the more interesting players in camp, and his calling card is obvious: speed.
The fourth-round pick ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Combine and showed that burst throughout the offseason. When the Chargers put together their initial 53-man roster, they clearly viewed him as a possible deep threat.
Still, there’s a difference between intriguing and ready-made. Thompson opened the season as the team’s fourth receiver behind McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris. He also had his own preseason interruption after dealing with a hip issue, though he recovered in time to suit up in Week 1.
The Chargers do not have to treat McConkey’s snaps as a one-for-one swap if he’s unavailable. Johnston and Harris could absorb more work, and Thompson could be deployed in specific packages built around what he does best.
That may be the smartest way to use him right now.
Thompson is not being asked to replace McConkey’s entire role. McConkey has become one of Justin Herbert’s most trusted targets and led the team in receiving yards in each of his first two seasons. Even in Week 1, he showed how central he is to the offense, catching five passes for 82 yards and a touchdown before leaving in the third quarter.
What Thompson offers is a different kind of stress on a defense. His speed can push safeties deeper and open things up underneath for Johnston, Harris and the tight ends. In Mike McDaniel’s offense, creating space and hitting explosive plays is going to matter.
So if McConkey sits, Thompson should get a real shot. Whether that turns into a full-time third receiver role or just a handful of designed chances is still to be seen. But with Lambert-Smith on injured reserve and McConkey uncertain, the Chargers may not have many other options.
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Chargers Make Another Practice Squad Move That Ends A Brief Experiment
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