Tre Harris didn’t arrive in Los Angeles as a finished product, but the Chargers have every reason to think his game is pointing in the right direction. After a strong final season at Ole Miss and a solid rookie year in 2025, the second-round receiver looks like a player who could carve out a much bigger role in 2026.
His last year in college was the kind of production that gets attention fast. In 2024, Harris posted career bests in reception percentage at 78.9%, receiving yards at 1,030, yards after catch at 462, yards after catch per reception at 7.7, and yards per route run at 5.12, according to Pro Football Focus.
He also turned heads at the combine, earning a top 10 grade among wide receivers. Lance Zierlein described him as “eventually being a plus starter” and noted the injury concerns and the fact that he did not quite have the contested catch numbers usually tied to his physical profile.
Even so, Zierlein also said Harris is “fast enough to win over the top and talented with the ball in his hands to stretch short throws into longer yardage.”
That blend of speed and run-after-catch ability fits a Chargers receiver room that still needs more. Ladd McConkey remains the team’s top wideout, and the offense could use another threat who can stretch the field while also winning in traffic. If Keenan Allen does not re-sign, Harris should have a clearer path to more snaps and more chances to build on what he showed at Ole Miss.
His first season in the league gave the Chargers a useful preview. Harris finished 2025 with 32 receptions, 344 receiving yards, one touchdown and six contested catches, along with a 69.6% reception percentage. He also made several starts, including in the Wild Card game against the Patriots.
The production came in different forms. Against the Texans in Week 17, he stacked together a couple of useful gains, including a first-down catch after a fake handoff to Omarion Hampton and a second-quarter toss that took him from the right side to the left for seven yards and a spot inside the 10.
He also had bigger flashes, including a 14-yard gain against the Patriots, a 37-yard catch against the Chiefs in Week 15 and a 16-yard play against the Raiders in Week 13. Across the season, he looked like a receiver who could make things happen once the ball was in his hands, and with only one drop, he showed he could be counted on.
There is still room for growth. Harris needs work as a run-blocker and on special teams, and technically tight end Oronde Gadsden II had the biggest receiving impact among the Chargers’ rookies in 2025.
But Harris is trending the right way, and the early signs from mandatory minicamp backed that up. On day three, Omar Navarro of Chargers.com reported that during seven-on-seven work, Harris “worked his way over the middle for a catch and run for over 15 yards on the first rep of the practice.”
If the Chargers continue emphasizing getting the ball out quickly and letting receivers work after the catch, Harris has a real chance to matter in 2026. He still profiles more as a number two receiver than a true top option, but if he sharpens the blocking and grows into more of a deep threat, he could become an important piece for Herbert.
In Other News...
Chargers Just Added A Massive Rookie Tackle Fans Will Debate Fast
The Chargers kept adding to their offensive line with a move that fits both the present and the future, taking Travis Burke out of Memphis in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft and quickly getting him under contract on a four-year deal. Burkes path to the league ran through Gardner-Webb, FIU and Memphis, and his college tape plus physical traits were enough to put him on NFL scouts radar as a tackle worth developing.
For Los Angeles, the appeal is obvious: Burke arrives as a developmental piece behind an already established group, giving the team another young body to shape without asking him to carry an immediate load. The bigger question is how quickly he can turn those tools into dependable NFL play, especially with evaluators still sorting through where his best fit ultimately lies. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Just Got A Reason To Believe The Chiefs Can Fall
The Chargers have spent years trying to close the gap in the AFC West, and this is the kind of outside noise that at least makes the chase feel a little less daunting. ESPN analyst Ben Solak pointed to Kansas Citys ongoing roster reshaping and the reality of contract decisions hanging over veteran players, arguing that the Chiefs may not look as untouchable down the line as they have for much of the Patrick Mahomes era.
For Los Angeles, the more interesting part is what comes next on its own side of the ledger. A roster that can stack up with Kansas Citys, plus a fresh offensive voice in Mike McDaniel, gives the Chargers a plausible path to making the division race real if Justin Herbert can settle quickly into the new system. Herberts adjustment could end up being the swing factor if the AFC West starts to tilt at all. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Suddenly Have A Bigger Tight End Question Than Expected
The Chargers thought they had a clear answer at tight end after Oronde Gadsden IIs strong rookie season in 2025, but the picture changed fast when veteran David Njoku arrived on a one-year deal. Njoku brings nine years of experience and a Pro Bowl nod, giving Los Angeles a proven pass catcher who has long been more than just a depth piece.
What makes this especially interesting is that the competition may not end with one player simply winning and the other fading into a backup role. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has the kind of personnel mix that could lead to plenty of multiple-tight-end looks, which means Gadsden and Njoku may both have real value even as the Chargers sort out how to use them most effectively. [Read more 🡒]
