The Los Angeles Chargers could be on the verge of fielding one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.
They have had the quarterback and skill position players in place for a while now, and made several improvements along their offensive line during the offseason. Even with center Tyler Biadasz already lost for the year, the Chargers believe rookie Jake Slaughter will fill in nicely for him. Los Angeles also brought in Mike McDaniel as its new offensive coordinator.
WR Quentin Johnston Named ‘X-Factor’ for Los Angeles Chargers in 2026
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X factors. Non-QB, non-rookie players that will make or break your team’s season.
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ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak picked one x-factor from all 32 teams who he believes can sway the 2026 season. When it came to the Chargers, he noted that Johnston has all the physical tools, but hasn’t put it all together quite yet.
“Johnston is one of the league’s preeminent vertical receivers, and his average speed last season (15.08 mph) was eighth among all receivers, second if we exclusively look at players over 200 pounds. He’s in the same neighborhood with Alec Pierce for route tree and top speed, but Pierce actually catches the football reliably when he gets down there. Johnston’s drop rate isn’t terribly high (3.3% over the past three seasons). It’s the full gamut of poor tracking, poor physicality and poor positioning that makes his deep targets unreliable.”
McDaniel feels very confident in his wide receiver group entering 2026, and has been particularly complimentary of Johnston. If Johnston can elevate his game to elite status, it’s tough to imagine the Chargers not having one of the most lethal passing attacks in the league.
Chargers Must Stretch the Field in 2026
Quarterback Justin Herbert saw a dip in passing yards and yards per completion last season, as well as in increase in interceptions. Some of that can be attributed to lack of a deep passing attack. When defensive backs aren’t stretched downfield, there’s not a lot of room to work with.
McDaniel is no stranger to dialing up the deep ball. His offense was a big play machine during his time with the Miami Dolphins, as he masterfully utilized the speed of receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Johnston not only has top end speed, but size to go with it — unlike Hill and Waddle. Keep an eye on rookie Brenen Thompson, who possesses blazing 4.2 40-yard dash speed, to be a deep threat as well.
Chargers ‘X-Factor’ Predicted to Be Crucial to Unlocking Offense