KeAndre

Lambert-Smith

With Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston suiting up this week, any chance of Lambert-Smith returning to real fantasy value looks quashed. For this week, anyway. He did get in a full session today. If activated off injured reserve ahead of the contest, he can be ignored until after the Week 7 bye.

Johnston is on track to play, but this wide receiver corps is very banged up. KeAndre Lambert-Smith (hamstring) and Brenen Thompson (quad) remained limited as well. Marquez Valdes-Scantling (ribs) upgraded to full.

Johnston, KeAndre Lambert-Smith (hamstring), Brenen Thompson (quad), and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (rib) were all limited Wednesday. Lambert-Smith currently has his practice window for return from IR open while the others are dealing with a varying level of ailments. Johnston is the best fantasy option out of this group, but he is only worth FLEX consideration in the deepest of leagues. With Ladd McConkey (foot) also limited, the Chargers have several “maybes” ahead of a Week 6 matchup against the Chiefs.

The lanky downfield wide receiver could return to find himself seriously competing for a starting role. Lambert-Smith caught 5-of-12 targets for 51 yards and one touchdown as a rookie last year, yet drew praise from film analysts around the industry. The Chargers are desperate for offensive contributions. Lambert-Smith can be stashed in 14-team leagues, though his low odds of producing make him a tougher pickup in 12-team leagues.

He’ll miss at least the next four games. Lambert-Smith played in two special teams snaps in the opener and the days of him and Trey Lance hooking up for deep passes at the Hall of Fame game feel like they happened five years ago instead of in 2025. The Chargers added Gary Jennings off the practice squad to fill the void.

A hamstring injury suffered in Week 18 kept the situational deep threat sidelined against the Patriots. He caught 5-of-12 targets for 51 yards and one touchdown in his rookie season. Lambert-Smith will get the chance to earn a spot on the game-day roster this offseason.

He didn’t practice all week. The rookie would enter next week with a questionable tag if the Chargers survive in New England.

Lambert-Smith is now on the wrong side of questionable, having missed the last two practices. The speedy rookie has not yet established himself as a reliable pass catcher, but he would be nice to have available on game day. The Chargers’ offense has been hit hard with injuries this season.

Lambert-Smith left the Chargers’ Week 18 game against the Broncos with an apparent hamstring injury and now starts out the week not practicing. The rookie 23-year-old is low on the pass-catching depth chart and finished the 2025 regular season with five receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown. Lambert-Smith’s absence on kick returns will have more of an impact if he cannot go in the Wild Card against the Patriots.

Chargers veteran slot WR Keenan Allen functioned as the offensive focal point this afternoon. Unfortunately, for Lance, Allen mostly ran quick-hitting routes that relied on the 33-year-old to pick up yards after the catch. Chargers rookie WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith is to blame for Lance’s interception, tipping a catchable pass into Broncos slot CB Ja’Quan McMillian’s hands for the pick-six. Lance did a great job evading Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto for much of the game, but Bonitto got the better of Lance late in the game by forcing a fumble with a well-aimed punch. Lance connected with WR Derius Davis for a short touchdown late in the game, but it was called back due to an illegal formation penalty. The 25-year-old backup heads back to the bench for the Chargers’ Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Patriots.