Four Bold Predictions For Chargers Wide Receiver Ladd McConkey In 2026

After a breakout rookie season and being the lone Los Angeles Chargers receiver to deliver any offensive charge in the 2024 Wild Card game against the Texans, wide receiver Ladd McConkey’s stat sheet took a dip in 2025.

Depending on how the wide receiver room shakes out after the upcoming draft and training camp, perhaps he’s due for an upswing. Let’s dream big for McConkey for this upcoming season, and below are some predictions for his 2026.

Ladd McConkey Will Emerge As The Chargers’ #1 Receiver

Now this prediction may be a bit controversial, as some consider slot receivers like McConkey mostly number twos, while ones like Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, the contested catch, acrobatic types, are true number ones. But even while former Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams was on the roster, Keenan Allen, a slot receiver, was really the number one on the team for many years, and actually turned out to be the number one this past season, at least when you look at the numbers.

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In the combined regular and postseason, Allen was at the top with 126 targets and 84 receptions. Though McConkey topped Allen in receiving yards (821 to Allen’s 802) and Quentin Johnston topped Allen in receiving touchdowns (eight to Allen’s four), it’s clear that quarterback Justin Herbert did not miss a beat with his former teammate, and Allen’s production certainly ticked back up this year. 

There was a point where Daniel Popper of The Athletic noted that the presence of people like Allen and Johnston, and even tight end Oronde Gadsden II, actually helped McConkey because he was able to have more one-on-one matchups because of all the extra receivers on the field, but eventually McConkey’s production may have suffered a bit because of their presence.

Additionally, Herbert had to do way too much last year and was running most of the time instead of throwing. Hopefully, with a more balanced run and pass game, Herbert won’t have to use his legs as much and actually get the ball to his playmakers.

Allen is also a free agent who hasn’t been re-signed, and though McConkey has some second-year players to contend with like Gadsden, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, and Tre Harris, without Allen on the field, unless the Chargers really invest in someone big (A.J. Brown perhaps?), McConkey should see more action and regain his place as Herbert’s go-to target.  

Will Reach Over 1,700 Receiving Yards Total (In The Regular And Postseason)

That’s right, if we’re really shooting for the stars, and McConkey can rebound, and the Chargers can make the playoffs, he could be on track to reach close to Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown’s 2023 receiving yards stat, which was his best at 1,789.

Now, both are different types of receivers, but when you think about it, it’s actually not that crazy of a reach. The first year McConkey was in the league, he had 1,149 receiving yards in the regular season, not incredibly far behind St. Brown’s for 2023, which was 1,515, and even closer to St. Brown’s 2024 regular season number of 1,263. And in the postseason, St. Brown earned 274 more yards in 2023 and 137 in 2024, while McConkey got 197 in the 2024 postseason. And even though McConkey’s numbers dipped this past year, he didn’t falter in yards after catch. 

McConkey has had the largest yards-after-catch numbers of any Chargers receiver over the last two years: 322 total this past season and 477 in 2024.

It was clear that he was able to get in space in the 2024 game against the Texans, where somehow he evaded former Texans cornerback Myles Bryant and turned the play into an 86-yard touchdown.

And that ability to extend plays was also on display in Week 10 of 2025 against the Steelers, where he managed to get 58 yards with Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols in tight coverage.

With the way that McConkey separates, if he can get the targets, he can do a lot. And if former Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill can have his best receiving yard season under Mike McDaniel, maybe McConkey can too. 

Will Make The Pro Bowl

McConkey only managed to make it to the Pro Bowl alternate list in 2024, and this past year, he wasn’t even named an alternate. Surprisingly, in 2025, Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt was named to the Pro Bowl after only playing six games.

McConkey is overdue for a Pro Bowl appearance, as he’s an integral part of the Chargers’ offense. Hopefully, this season, if he’s able to show some of that flash from his rookie year, he can finally make the roster. 

Will Overtake Quentin Johnston In Receiving Touchdowns 

Johnston has managed to either tie McConkey in receiving touchdowns, as both had eight in 2024, or beat him, as he had eight again in 2025 while McConkey had six.

Johnston had a hot start to 2025 with two receiving touchdowns in the season opener against the Chiefs and another in the second week against Vegas. And then after that, Johnston mostly got one every other week and only had two two-week stretches where he didn’t have any.

McConkey didn’t have his first receiving touchdown until Week 5. If McConkey can give us a repeat of 2024, this should be his year to beat Johnston in this area and possibly have the most for the Chargers.