Aug 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (84) before the game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. The Los Angeles Chargers (1-0) finally faced some competition and showed flashes in their 27-7 victory over the Houston Texans (0-1). Obviously, it is preseason, so Justin Herbert and C.J. Stroud weren’t on the field, but numerous players stood out for the Chargers. There was one area of concern, and that is the backup quarterback spot. Trey Lance hasn’t shown many flashes of improvement during camp because he continues to make some of the same mistakes he made last season. He took two sacks in which he held onto the ball too long, made a bad read that resulted in an interception in the red zone and missed some throws. DJ Uiagalelei, on the other hand, made positive strides, going 6-for-9 for 120 yards with a touchdown pass to receiver Devonte Ross. The Chargers should look for a reliable backup quarterback because you never know when one might be needed. That was really the only major criticism coming out of Thursday night. "It's really encouraging the way both quarterbacks acquitted themselves in this game,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. Here are five players who improved their stock after Thursday night’s performance. 1. OL Jake Slaughter Last Tuesday, Harbaugh was asked where he thought the competition at left guard stood, and he spoke highly of the rookie offensive lineman. The Chargers head coach felt Slaughter had put together some good tape during his reps at the position. Well, Thursday night, Slaughter did it again. During his reps, he was able to pick up a stunt pass rush, which Houston is known for and the Chargers know all too well. Slaughter identified it and was able to keep the defense away from Lance. “Knowing what to do puts you in control as a player,” Harbaugh said. “To play center, then guard. He's handled it with a plum.” Slaughter started the game at center and had an impressive showing, especially near the red zone on a Lance scramble when he faced off against Kayden MacDonald. It seems like this might be a three-man race between Slaughter, Branson Taylor and Kayode Awosika, who have shown the most during camp. 2. RB Amar Johnson Johnson showed some flashes on Thursday in both the passing and running games, which is important in Mike McDaniel’s offense. He has been a hot name during camp because of his all-around game. Scoring two rushing touchdowns in the first preseason game will turn heads, but Johnson also pulled off a 55-yard catch-and-run. He was caught at the two-yard line but finished off the drive with a rushing touchdown. “Amar Johnson, shout out to him!” Harbaugh said. “A couple touchdowns and a big long catch. Thought he played really well.” Aug 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Chargers guard Logan Taylor (65) in action during the game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Aug 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Chargers guard Logan Taylor (65) in action during the game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium.
3. DL TeRah Edwards Edwards is another player who has stood out during camp because of how disruptive he has been, especially against the run. The Chargers obviously aren’t tackling to the ground during camp, but he has shown that he has something. On Thursday night, he finished with four tackles, but what stood out were two consecutive plays around the six-minute mark of the second quarter. On third-and-1 from the Chargers’ 15-yard line, Edwards helped stuff Texans running back Noah Whittington for no gain. On the next play, he made himself small, darted inside and helped stop quarterback Graham Mertz’s sneak attempt, resulting in a turnover on downs. “TeRah would be another that to point out big strong front, and guys,” Harbaugh said. “it's important to them.” 4. WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith It was a year ago when KLS became a fan favorite, with Chargers fans excited to see what he could show during the regular season. Unfortunately, his biggest highlight was a touchdown catch in Kansas City in December, but there wasn’t much outside of that. The addition of speedster Brenen Thompson has overshadowed the possibility that KLS could thrive in McDaniel’s offense. Over the last week and a half, though, Lambert-Smith has stood out during training camp practices by making some impressive catches. On Thursday, he really showed some juice. He had four catches for 58 yards and demonstrated that he isn’t only a deep-ball threat. He can do more. Lance missed him deep around the five-minute mark of the 2nd quarter after Lambert-Smith had beaten his defender. “Thought he was played really well,” Harbaugh said. “Had some big catches and was open a few times. Deep ball. I mean, he had him by a couple steps.” KLS has put himself back on the radar as a player who could become a weapon in McDaniel’s system. 5. LB Marlowe Wax/LB Junior Colson Wax picked up right where he left off last season, when he had a positive showing in Denver in the final game of the regular season. He has shown flashes at linebacker and is already one of the Chargers’ better special teams players. Junior Colson, who has been hampered by injuries during his first two seasons, also played well. Colson moved around and made several plays, including finishing with five tackles. It might be a Wax-versus-Colson battle for that fifth linebacker spot. “Junior made some good plays,” Harbaugh said. “Made some good tackles in coverage, and go back and look more. But I thought our linebacker play was really good across the board.”