Brenen Thompson (quad) won’t play in Week 4

Thompson missed Week 3 with the quad issue. A DNP today makes it unlikely he is cleared for Week 4. Tre’ Harris will continue to go unchallenged as the team’s WR3. He could even push Quentin Johnston for the No. 2 job if the former first-round pick continues to struggle.

He didn’t practice at any point this week and should be regarded as questionable for Week 4 at this time. Thompson played just 22 snaps in LA’s first two games, so his absence won’t necessarily free up more snaps for anyone else.

The Chargers’ rookie speedster is on the wrong side of questionable. Thompson is not fantasy-relevant on his own, but having him available is a plus for the offense overall. He will likely miss the Chargers’ Week 3 game against the Bills, though.

Thompson injured his hip during the preseason and was on the Week 1 injury report as a limited participant twice. He was eventually cleared and has played in both of LA’s losses. Thompson wasn’t on the injury report last week, so this could be a new issue. Either way, the rookie appears to be on the wrong side of questionable for Week 3. He is not on the fantasy radar, but his absence could get Tre’ Harris on the field for a few more routes.

The speedy rookie injured his hip on August 20th in the Chargers’ preseason game against the 49ers. Although he is stuck in the No. 4 spot on the depth chart, it was an encouraging preseason showing prior to the injury. Thompson was in for all three first-team reps and continued playing with the second team for a while before exiting. He does not need to be rostered in 12-team leagues, but can be stashed in 14-team leagues.

Brenen should be available on Sunday, but the Chargers could choose to keep their presumed No. 4 wide receiver under wraps until he is fully healthy. The rookie wide receiver will be relevant in single-game DFS tournaments once he is up to speed.

Thompson tweaked his hip in preseason play back on August 20th. A limited session on Wednesday puts him on track to play in Week 1 against the Cardinals, potentially as the team’s WR4 and a special teams contributor.

Thompson took first- and second-team reps in last Thursday’s preseason game against the 49ers. Chargers’ Nos. 2 and 3 WRs Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris were held out with what are believed to be minor injuries. Thompson eventually checked out of the game and entered the blue medical tent before being taken back to the locker room. He sported a yellow jersey today, which ESPN’s Kris Rhim dubbed the “working through something” jersey. He was likely a limited participant today. Thompson could be anything from a mid-to-late-season FLEX option to a part-time player stuck in a fantasy-unfriendly role. Keep an eye on his development and recovery.

Thompson stopped by the blue medical tent before being taken to the locker room. This is a bummer. The speedy wide receiver played all three first-team reps with QB Justin Herbert. Herbert hung up his cleats for the night after that drive, but Thompson remained on the field, earning two targets from QB Trey Lance. The first yielded a seven-yard gain on a comeback route. The second was thrown 50-plus yards downfield. Thompson dove for it, but a defender likely got away with a DPI no-call, and Lance slightly overthrew the pass anyway. Hopefully, Thompson is only dealing with a minor injury and can continue his encouraging development soon. Chargers WRs Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris appear to be inactive.

Through two training camp practices, Thompson has been making plays when given opportunities with the first-team offense. On Wednesday, Chargers QB Justin Herbert told reporters that Thompson is “going to be very good” and “make a lot of plays.” In a piece published Thursday morning, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper reported that Thompson will be battling for snaps with WR Tre’ Harris, “who is also off to a great start.” Harris (6'3/210) can contribute as a receiver and as a blocker. While Thompson boasts 4.26-second 40 speed, at 5'9/164, it will be tough for him to bully defensive backs in the run game. Still, this is good news for dynasty and best ball managers who have taken late-round fliers on Thompson thus far.