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Now that the Los Angeles Chargers have finalized their Week 1 game against the Arizona Cardinals, failing to collect a victory against a team that was expected to be one of the worst teams in the league, it is important to see who was on the field to make this happen and the volume the said player played.
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Winner #1 – Del’Shawn Phillips
Del’Shawn Phillips is starting alongside Daiyan Henley in this Chris O’Leary defense to start the season, due to the Denzel Perryman injury that occurred right before cutdown day. This role allowed Phillips to play 41 of 75 defensive snaps, showing some flashes in the run game.
The Bolts did have trouble covering slot receivers and Trey McBride, giving some pause on Phillips role long term, but his thumping prowess and role over the likes of Troy Dye and Marlowe Wax gives reason to believe that his Week 1 game is a win pertaining to his role over expectation.
Winner #2 – David Njoku
David Njoku has been a long-time standout tight end in the NFL, coming to the Chargers to spend likely the later years of his career. When signed, he was expected to be the third guy behind Charlie Kolar and Oronde Gadsden II.
As the offseason went on, he seemed to climb the depth chart, with Week 1 seeing him play a team-high 30 snaps for tight ends. He is tied with Kolar for the number. Njoku also had a strong day with 58 yards on five catches, giving him room to have a similar role going into Week 2.
Loser #1 – Troy Dye
Troy Dye was mentioned in the Phillips section as someone who saw a reduction in role compared to what could have been expected with the Perryman injury and a new defensive coordinator. Instead, Dye only played 15 snaps on defense and did not record much of an impact either way.
Going into Week 2, he is expected to play a similar number of snaps, with his role diminishing due to Phillips being given the opportunity.
Loser #2 – Kayode Awosika
Kayode Awosika arguably does not deserve to be a loser on this list, as he has done everything possible to earn his starting role at the left guard position. Unfortunately, this staff has actually gone through with what many think is an unthinkable coaching decision: rotating offensive linemen in the MIDDLE of a game.
Awosika being rotated in and out with Trey Pipkins III definitely would hurt his ability to be a consistent player on the field, but he showed enough while out there in Week 1 to be named the full-time starter and put an end to the idiotic decision to rotate linemen in the National Football League. That said, he is still being rotated in and out compared to his expectation to start, making him a loser pertaining to role and snap counts.
Loser #3 – Kimani Vidal
The Los Angeles Chargers have seemingly constantly disrespected Kimani Vidal since he arrived in Los Angeles. His first season saw growing pains but enough flashes to make him an intriguing piece for year two. He got cut on cut-down day, but found his way back on the roster and eventually led the team in rushing for the season.
With Vidal practically saving the Chargers’ 2025 run game by himself, you would expect he would have a strong role going into 2026. He played four snaps in Week 1, not seeing a touch.
Role Changes From Last Week*
Since it is Week 1, there is not much to say in regard to changes in role for these Chargers athletes. However, from what we saw in the preseason and general expectations, a few players who stood out were: Teair Tart (played the fourth-most IDL snaps with 31, when he is expected to be the lead snap-getter) and Derius Davis (got 10 offensive snaps, when he really should not be on the field over other receivers).
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/onsi as Chargers Snap Count Analysis: Biggest Winners, Losers and Role Changes From Week 1.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 3:00 PM.