One Player Who Must Bounce Back For the Chargers in Week 2

The Los Angeles Chargers must perform better than they did in the Week 1 loss heading into Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders, otherwise Los Angeles could be 0-2 to start 2026.

In the loss, one of the most noticeable things was the inconsistency that the Chargers showed in the passing game, especially with wide receiver Ladd McConkey off the field following his injury in the third quarter.

At this point, McConkey is day-to-day with a rib injury based on the most recent injury update, and with that said, someone in this wide receiver room needs to step up to help this passing game become a lot more consistent.

Additionally, offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and quarterback Justin Herbert will very likely need to adjust their game plan from Week 1 because the Raiders are a different opponent than the Arizona Cardinals, but also the passing game was not effective or efficient enough to have the same game plan.

With the Chargers needing to have a much better week passing the ball and with McConkey potentially out, Los Angeles went out and signed veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the practice squad, who could provide more depth and playmaking at receiver.

While adding a veteran like Valdes-Scantling is great, the biggest thing that can happen for the Chargers this week is for Quentin Johnston to step up and use his explosive play ability to generate big plays for Los Angeles and make things easier for Herbert.

In Week 1, Johnston had two receptions for 17 yards on six targets which is simply not good enough as one of Herbert's top targets.

With Johnston, the Chargers have a player who brings tremendous speed on the perimeter and can really stretch the defense vertically which opens up the underneath and intermediate areas for rest of the wide receivers as well as the tight ends.

Last season, Johnston was really able to put that on display as he tallied eight touchdowns and has had several games where he showcased his speed and explosiveness all over the field.

In 2025, Johnston actually played quite well against the Raiders as he totaled six receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns combined in the two games where Los Angeles and Las Vegas matched up, which could be a sign that Johnston is ready to break out and help this offense get on track.

So, as the Chargers head into Week 2 against the Raiders, if Johnston can bounce back and showcase his explosiveness, he could help this offense to get going but also put the rest of the NFL on notice that he has the ability to make big-time plays.