This will be the ninth straight year that the Los Angeles Chargers have had a win total that projects a .500 season or better. Yet, despite finishing with a winning record in four of the last five seasons, the Chargers continuously stumble short of the lofty expectations that envelop them each year.
Injuries, bad offensive line play, blown leads, you name it.
The Chargers have an incredible 22-12 ATS record over the last two seasons, tied with the Jaguars for the best mark in the NFL over that span, and have been favored in 25 of 34 games. This year's squad is poised for success once again, but it will be graded on a curve, as playoff success is the new barometer in L.A. There has been only one playoff win for the Chargers in the last decade. -- Kevin Pulsifer
Note: Odds by DK Sports
and subject to change.
2026 outlook: Buying into the hype yet again
Seemingly every offseason produces renewed optimism about the Chargers. This time I really mean it though! Two major factors have me buying the Chargers in 2026. The first is the addition of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. While his tenure in Miami ended in a whimper, this is still the same person that once had the Dolphins offense rolling at an unbelievable level with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback. Imagine what he can do with Justin Herbert.
And then there's the tackles. The Chargers spent most of last offseason without Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, resulting in an incredible weakness on their offensive line. It's not just that a healthy tackle duo plugs that hole, it's that when those two are on the field it might be the best tackle tandem in football. Together, those two factors mean the Chargers' ceiling, legitimately, is a Lombardi Trophy. -- Seth Walder
Best bet: Joe Alt to win Protector of the Year (+800)
I was on Alt to win Protector of the Year last year and felt like I basically had that correct... if he hadn't gotten hurt. But had Alt kept up the pace he set in the six games he did play, he would have ranked second and tied for fifth in run block and pass block win rate among tackles, respectively. It's well within the cards that we're talking about Alt as the best tackle in football six months from now. -- Walder
