The Los Angeles Chargers came out of their bye week hoping a little rest would bring back some of the stars a brutal first half had taken from them.

Derwin James Jr. has been officially ruled out of Sunday’s crosstown matchup with the Rams at SoFi Stadium.

That makes four straight games the five-time Pro Bowl safety will miss with the hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined since late September.

The news is more discouraging because James had looked to be on track to return after the bye.

That changed Wednesday, when Jim Harbaugh revealed that his star safety had suffered a setback during his rehab.

James didn’t practice a single day this week, and Harbaugh went further, acknowledging that injured reserve is now on the table. That would keep the veteran out for at least four more games.

James has not played since the Chargers’ 24-16 loss to the Bills in Week 3, a stretch that has coincided with the team’s slide to 0-6. In three appearances before the injury, he had 21 tackles and a pass breakup.

He was also the emotional center of a defense that has held up far better than the offense through the losing streak.

The timing stings because Los Angeles made James the highest-paid safety in the league with an offseason extension.

He had also been one of the more durable players on the roster lately, appearing in 16 games in each of the previous three seasons.

If they place James on injured reserve before Sunday, the earliest he could return would be the Week 12 matchup with the Patriots.

Waiting until after the Rams game would push that date back another week. Given how the season has gone, the front office may decide there is no reason to rush a 30-year-old cornerstone back onto the field.

Without James, defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary will once again lean on a committee of Elijah Molden, Genesis Smith, Tony Jefferson, and RJ Mickens.

That group has done enough to keep the defense competitive in his absence. The bigger concern is depth across the entire secondary.

Defensive back Deane Leonard has also been ruled out with a concussion, and cornerbacks Donte Jackson and Rodney Shelley are both questionable with hamstring injuries.

The 3-4 Rams will be without Davante Adams, but Matthew Stafford still leads one of the league’s most productive offenses.

A depleted secondary will have its hands full trying to keep the Chargers’ first win within reach. James will be watching from the sideline as the Bolts try to end their losing streak.