The Los Angeles Chargers are set to take on the Los Angeles Rams in week eight. The Chargers, coming off a bye in week seven, have dealt with significant injuries in the first half of the season and had over half of the original 53-man roster on the injury report or injured reserve by week six.

Los Angeles will see some limited reinforcements return to the field against the Rams but the injuries have continued to mount and several have suffered setbacks. The most notable setbacks have been to team leader and All-Pro defensive back Derwin James Jr. and to rookie wide receiver Brenan Thompson.

James was placed on injured reserve on the eve of the game against the Rams and Thompson, out since week two, tried to return in week five only to suffer a setback, was surprisingly active for week six but logged zero snaps and now has suffered another setback in rehab with a hamstring injury being added on to his quad injury.

Injured reserve is now overflowing

The Chargers decision to move Derwin James to injured reserve is peculiar in timing considering he has been out since Week 3. The NFL rules stipulate that teams are allowed eight activations from the injured list per season and two additional activations for the postseason. The Chargers do not appear to be poised to make the postseason therefore they have a maximum of eight activations off of injured reserve and have already used three of them.

Los Angeles has already activated offensive lineman Branson Taylor and fullback/tight end Scott Matlock, both of whom were placed on injured reserve to start the season. In addition to Taylor and Matlock, the Chargers activated wide receiver Keandre Lambert-Smith.

James being added to injured reserve now leaves the Chargers with eight players from their original 53-man roster on injured reserve with only five activations remaining. Of those eight players six were considered starters. Tyler Biadasz is clearly done for the season but of the other players, who has played their last snaps for the 2026 Chargers?

• Defensive back Derwin James Jr.

• Fullback Alec Ingold

• Offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III

• Linebacker Denzel Perryman

• Quarterback Trey Lance

• Offensive lineman Trevor Penning

• Tight end David Njoku

• Tackle Rashawn Slater

There are so many unanswered questions with this group of players. If the season is lost, is it worth it to rush Rashawn Slater, who is already coming off major injury, back onto the field? Derwin James is a cornerstone player. Alec Ingold was intended to be the glue of the blocking department but did not look good when healthy. Pipkins and Penning have essentially been replaced by rookies.

The Chargers are only entering Week 8, there is no telling how many more players will end up on injured reserve. Who Los Angeles brings back to the active roster with their five remaining activations will be a major chess move for the remainder of the season and likely an indication of intentions for the upcoming offseason.

Not only could several of these players have played their last snaps for the 2026 Chargers, several of them are on expiring deals or deals with a contract out in the offseason. There is a high likelihood that several of these players on injured reserve have played their last snaps in Los Angeles.