KeAndre Lambert-Smith: Everything you need to know

Lambert-Smith (hamstring) is participating during the Chargers' OTAs, Eric Smith of the team's official site reports. Lambert-Smith only played in 10 games during his rookie season last year, in part because he was tending to a lingering hamstring injury. The Chargers' only big move at wide receiver during the offseason was selecting Brenen Thompson in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and Lambert-Smith is one of a few players working on returning punts during offseason workouts, so now that he's back to full strength, he should have a realistic chance of snagging a spot on the 53-man roster for this season.

The Chargers placed Lambert-Smith (hamstring) on injured reserve Saturday. Lambert-Smith is done for the season after catching five passes for 51 yards and a touchdown across 10 games during the regular season. The rookie fifth-round pick will shift his focus to getting healthy for the 2026 campaign, while Kimani Vidal will likely take over as one of the team's primary kick returners during Sunday's wild-card matchup versus the Patriots.

Lambert-Smith (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's wild-card matchup against the Patriots. Lambert-Smith opened the Chargers' week of practice with consecutive DNPs after sustaining a hamstring injury in the Week 18 loss to the Broncos, so it's no surprise that he won't play Sunday. The rookie wideout from Auburn logged just 53 offensive snaps over 10 regular-season contests this season, catching five of 12 targets for 51 yards and a touchdown. Kimani Vidal will likely step in and operate as one of the Chargers' top kick returners while Lambert-Smith is sidelined for the wild-card round.