An Overview of the Los Angeles Chargers Defense
The Chargers cleaned house after a disappointing 2023, hiring Jim Harbaugh to lead the team and Jesse Minter to oversee the defense. What a difference it made. The 2024 Chargers were above average in nearly all important defensive categories. Last year's squad picked up right where they left off and continued to improve.
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The pass defense was stout, finishing eighth in yards allowed and fifth in completion percentage allowed. Two teams allowed fewer passing touchdowns, and three teams intercepted more passes. The run defense was not quite as strong, but it was far from bad. Allowing the eighth fewest yards looks good on paper, but there is an asterisk in that the Chargers faced the sixth fewest rushes. At 4.3 yards per carry, they were middle of the pack. They were certainly not middle of the pack in the big play department. Los Angeles tied for tenth with 45 sacks, seventh with 23 turnovers, and was one of the eight teams to give up fewer than 20 points per game.
If they are to be as successful in 2026, it will be done with virtually the same cast on the field. The only significant free agent addition is nose tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, who projects as a starter. The draft brought edge Akheem Mesidor in round one, safety Genesis Smith in the fourth, and tackle Nick Barrett in the fifth. Of those three, only Mesidor is likely to see the field much as a rookie, and he will likely be rotational as he is groomed to take over when Khalil Mack retires.
While the actors remain virtually the same, there is a new director in the house. With Minter taking over as the Ravens' head coach, the team hired Chris O'Leary to run the defense. O'Leary coached the Chargers' safeties in 2024 when the turnaround began. He spent last season at Western Michigan, where he ran a similar scheme and a defense that ranked among the top 10, allowing 17.6 points per game. There will be no learning curve for the players, so there is no reason to think this team will regress. They might even continue to improve.
Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Linemen
In Tuli Tuipulotu, the Chargers have a rising star. The 2023 second-round pick made an impact as a rookie and has gotten better every season since. He saw a lot of action in year one, starting several games when Joey Bosa was out and having a significant rotational role when everyone was available. The result was a stat line of 37-16-4.5 with 3 turnovers. The sack total was low, but he was way up on the list of pressures when the season ended.
History tells us that players with high pressure rates and modest sack totals often have greater success at getting to the passer the following season. Even with fewer snaps, Tuipulotu followed the trend, going 26-16-8.5 with a forced fumble in 2024. The drop in tackle production was a bit concerning going into last season, but it turned out to be a mirage. With Bosa gone, Tuipulotu moved into the starting role and had a breakout season in 2025. He rode 49 tackles, including 35 solo, 13 sacks, 3 turnovers, and 3 batted passes to his first career top 10. It likely will not be his last.
Tuipulotu led the team's defensive linemen in snaps. Had the Chargers not rested starters in week 18, he might have reached the 800 mark. When I say that his best football is likely ahead of him, it is not just a cliché statement. The young man is just 23 years old and is just entering his prime. Then there is the point that he got better as the 2025 season went on. Over the final five games of last year, Tuipolotu totaled 15 tackles, 5 assists, 5 sacks, and a batted pass. He is a clear DE1 target going forward. Don't be surprised if he is in the mix for a sack title sometime in the near future.
The Chargers used a rotation opposite Tuipulotu last year. Khalil Mack was the official starter, but he did not out-snap Bud Dupree or Odafe Oweh by all that far. At age 35, Mack is nearing the end of a Hall of Fame career. His twelve seasons have produced 112.5 sacks, 35 forced fumbles, 13 recoveries, and a pair of interceptions. Mack still has enough gas in the tank to contribute to his team, but he played 424 snaps last year. His days as a fantasy factor are probably over.
Bud Dupree has settled into his role as a solid rotational backup and holds limited fantasy potential. His new teammate, however, could have a bright future. If not for an injury history that follows him from college, Akheem Mesidor might have been considered for the first edge of the board in this year's draft. The Chargers were happy to get him at 22.
Mesidor has the size and skillset to be a three-down player. He played at 272 pounds last year, but has trimmed down a bit to be quicker as a pro. At 6'3", he lacks the length and wingspan of some elite pass rushers, but he uses the compact size to his advantage, gaining leverage. He is instinctive, fluid, has a great motor, and an unusually deep array of moves for a rookie. He even has the versatility to slip inside on passing downs if called upon.
Mesidor will have a significant role as a rookie, but will likely not see enough action to be a significant fantasy factor. If Mack retires after this season, which is a strong possibility, Mesidor should step into a three-down role in 2027. He's worth keeping an eye on this summer and should land on a taxi squad in every dynasty league.
The Chargers used a five-man rotation at the tackle positions last year, with no one reaching the 500 snap mark. We will likely get more of the same in 2026. Newcomer Dalvin Tomlinson is penciled in as the starting nose tackle, with Teair Tart and Jamaree Caldwell expected to hold the title of starter at the outside tackle spots. There is no one to get excited about here from an IDP perspective, but there is someone worth keeping an eye on.
Justin Eboigbe logged just over 400 regular-season snaps. Yet he managed to lead the team's interior linemen in stops with 39 combined, and sacks with 6. He had a productive stretch early in the season, posting double-digit fantasy points in three of four games ending in week eight. Eboigbe faded down the stretch before posting two sacks against Denver in week 18. He should continue to see passing down work, and if his role expands, he could have some fantasy value at a perennially thin position
- DE Tuli Tuipulotu – Solid DE1 with elite potential
- DE Khalil Mack – Reduced role limits his value
- DE Bud Dupree – Injury sleeper at best
- DE Akheem Mesidor – Top-flight dynasty prospect
- DE Kyle Kennard – Marginal impact
- DT Teair Tart – No IDP impact
- DT Jamaree Caldwell – No IDP impact
- DT Justin Eboigbe – Watchlist player who has shown signs
- NT Dalvin Tomlinson – Marginal impact at best
- DT Nick Barrett – Developmental rookie