analyst
Keaton Mitchell Could be Low-Cost Trade Target
Keaton Mitchell could be a breakout candidate in 2026 due to a clearer path to carries with the Chargers
Charlie Kolar
TE · LAC · 27 yrs · exp 4 · Iowa State
Status
- Game status
- Active
Keep Trade Cut (SF TEP)
From latest snapshot · trend vs ~7d prior when data allows.
Value
1,418
Rank
#370
Pos rank
#61
7d trend
+2.6% (7d vs prior)
Value history (90d)
One snapshot point per calendar day (shown in your timezone).
Latest: Jul 24, 2026 · 1,418
News
Stories linked to this player — newest first.
analyst
Backfield Kombat!!! | 2026’s High-Stakes Training Camp Battles to Watch
Training camp battles loom for several teams, particularly at tight end for the Chargers with additions of Charlie Kolar and David Njoku alongside returning Oronde Gadsden. In Carolina, Chuba Hubbard faces competition from a healthy Jonathon Brooks for the starting running back job. Meanwhile, the Browns will see Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders competing for the starting quarterback position
general
10 Biggest Chiefs Questions: Is the tight end group versatile enough?
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
The Rams' successful pivot to 12 and 13 personnel packages using versatile tight ends like Terrance Ferguson, Davis Allen, Tyler Higbee, and Colby Parkenson, and the Chargers' subsequent signing of blocking-first tight end Charlie Kolar, raise questions about the Chiefs' own tight end versatility
TE · LAC
trending
Charlie Kolar heavily added (#24)
Sleeper trending/add: Charlie Kolar (8127) count=1002 (Δ1002 vs prior poll)
TE · LAC
transaction
FA: Charlie Kolar added, Ja'Lynn Polk dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agent+4 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Adds: Charlie Kolar. Drops: Ja'Lynn Polk
analyst
Charlie Kolar has Untapped Pass-Catching Potential
Charlie Kolar has untapped pass-catching potential, according to The Athletic's Daniel Popper
general
This player could be biggest surprise for the Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers went under the radar during the offseason when they signed former Baltimore Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar. ESPN insider Mike Clay believes Kolar could have a big impact on the Chargers’ offense for the upcoming season. “Kolar had only 10 catches for 142 receiving yards and two touchdowns in Baltimore last season, but the Chargers didn’t bring him in to be a receiver. Los Angeles handed him a three-year, $24.3 million contract to block, part of the leaguewide rise in the value of blocking tight ends. You’ll see a lot of Kolar in 12 and 13 personnel, as the Ravens averaged 5.7 yards per carry with Kolar on the field last season and 4.7 yards per carry without him,“ Clay wrote. Kolar, 27, grew during every season he was with the Ravens from 2022-25. While his numbers didn’t often show up in the stat sheet, he was doing the dirty work to help other players pad their stats, especially in the running back room. In 2025, the Ravens were the second-best rushing offense in the NFL behind the Buffalo Bills . In 2024, they ranked number one, as one of two teams to record over 3,000 yards. The same could be said in 2023, and in 2022 they also finished second. While Lamar Jackson is a big reason behind those numbers, he wouldn’t have enjoyed that kind of success without Kolar, who will now be blocking for second-year pro Omarion Hampton , who could have a breakout year if the newest Chargers tight end plays like he did in Baltimore
general
Chargers TE room completely molded in Jim Harbaugh’s ‘square-jawed image’
For years, Jim Harbaugh’s preferred brand of football felt almost old-fashioned. While much of the NFL chased lighter personnel groupings, spread formations and smaller, faster defenses, Harbaugh continued to build offenses around physicality, versatility and tight ends. Now, the rest of the league appears to be catching up. One of the more intriguing observations from Albert Breer’s latest offseason notebook centered on the Chargers’ revamped tight end room. Breer suggested Los Angeles ’ overhaul at the position could end up being one of the most important developments of the offseason — and it speaks to something much larger than a player or position group. The Chargers finally are becoming a complete reflection of Harbaugh’s football identity. You can see it throughout the roster. There’s first-round running back Omarion Hampton , a physical downhill runner capable of carrying a heavy workload. There are massive offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater . The defense is built around rugged edge players including Khalil Mack , Tuli Tuipulotu and Akheem Mesidor . And then there are the tight ends. Breer highlighted the additions of Charlie Kolar and David Njoku alongside second-year hybrid weapon Oronde Gadsden II. Kolar arrives from the Ravens as one of the league’s better blocking tight ends and gives the Chargers a true in-line presence. Njoku can align all over the formation, creating matchup problems while allowing offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel greater flexibility in how he deploys personnel. That flexibility has always been central to Harbaugh’s offenses. At Stanford, tight ends were featured weapons. Future NFL players Coby Fleener , Zach Ertz , Levine Toilolo and Jim Dray all flourished under Harbaugh. At Michigan, Jake Butt became a Mackey Award winner, while Colston Loveland developed into one of the nation’s premier tight ends. Harbaugh’s offenses consistently treated the position as more than an extra blocker. Tight ends were foundational pieces capable of influencing the run game and passing attack. What’s changed is that the NFL is beginning to value those players similarly. League-wide usage of 12 personnel — one running back and two tight ends — has climbed from 17.3% of offensive plays in 2022 to more than 22% in 2025. Even more dramatically, 13 personnel packages featuring three tight ends exploded last season, increasing nearly 50% from the previous year. The catalyst may have been right up the 405. Sean McVay’s Rams shocked the league by leaning heavily into 13 personnel during the second half of the 2025 season. The results were devastating. Matthew Stafford threw 22 touchdowns and zero interceptions from those looks, forcing defenses to choose between matching size against the run or risking favorable passing matchups. This created a catch-22 for most teams. The Rams also generated positive expected points added (EPA) on more than 50% of their rushing attempts in 2025, becoming just the second team since Pro Football Focus began tracking the metric in 2006 to reach that mark. The copycat effect was immediate. Twenty-two tight ends were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, the most since 2002. That’s where McDaniel’s arrival becomes particularly fascinating. McDaniel’s offenses in Miami weren’t rigidly built around tight ends, but they were remarkably adaptable. When the personnel justified it, the Dolphins became one of the NFL’s most efficient teams targeting the position, consistently ranking in the top 10 of the league in EPA per play. That marriage between Harbaugh and McDaniel could be exactly what makes the Chargers dangerous. Harbaugh provides the blueprint. McDaniel supplies the creativity. Together, they have assembled a roster capable of playing multiple styles without substituting personnel. They can line up in traditional formations and run power football. They can spread out defenses. They can force opponents into uncomfortable personnel decisions before the ball is [... truncated ...]
TE · LAC
transaction
Waiver: Charlie Kolar added, Andrew Armstrong dropped
sleeper-tx-waiver+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Adds: Charlie Kolar. Drops: Andrew Armstrong
analyst
Can Keaton Mitchell Carve Out a Large Enough Role for a Fantasy Breakout?
Keaton Mitchell's potential for a fantasy breakout with the Chargers
general
4 Chargers position battles that get underway in OTAs
Justin Herbert returned in time for OTAs this and Chargers have now begun their next step of the offseason calendar. Helmets are on and the team is ramping up their activity and preparation This offseason, the Chargers added veteran nose tackle Dalvin Tomlinson to the defensive tackle room. He’s a bonafide run-stopper with a surprising amount of success as a pocket-pusher over the years. After a down year with the Cardinals this past season, the hope is that Chargers’ coaching staff can once again get him back on the right track. Tomlinson joins a room with current incumbents Teair Tart and Jamaree Caldwell , on top of new fifth-round draft pick Nick Barrett. This room went from fairly shallow to basically at capacity. Add in former fourth-round pick Justin Eboigbe and this group is all of a sudden the most competitive on the team. Eboigbe showed some real improvement as a pass rusher in 2025. Caldwell also had his fair share of splash plays. The Bolts used an early pick on day three with Barrett for a reason. All of this is to say that, even with O’Leary expected to continue a rotation up front along the interior, there’s still only going to be so many snaps to go around. Tart will get everything he can handle after being signed a big extensions earlier this year, but the rest of the opportunities to come this year will surely be hard to come by. The tight end duo of Oronde Gadsden II and Charlie Kolar looked like an ideal 1-2 punch at the position once the latter was signed in free agency. The addition of veteran David Njoku all of a sudden muddies up the role and snap share of the two incumbents. Njoku is a tried-and-true starting tight end with a ton of experience in the league as the #1. Will he immediately unseat Gadsden as the presumed starter for the Chargers? Will he take some two-tight end snaps away from Kolar? A third body gives Mike McDaniel a third skillset to mix and match with his multi-tight end sets and we have to assume he’s going to take full advantage of that. The selection of Genesis Smith in this year’s draft immediately creates competition in a safety room that also needs to get younger. The Bolts selected R.J. Mickens in the seventh round of the 2024 draft and re-signed veteran Tony Jefferson this offseason. There are bodies here, but no one apart of Derwin James is going to be locked into the starting lineup. Even Elijah Molden isn’t safe. His play was very middling for most of 2025 and I believe the Chargers are preparing for him to potentially have hit his peak. Mickens flashed as a rookie, but Jefferson did the same at his advanced age. Both are valuable as depth, but does that make either of them and their potential snap shares safe from Smith’s addition? The latter was drafted for his rangy, free safety skillset which is in contrast to both Jefferson and Mickens. Can the latter two fend off the rookie for at least a season? We’re saving the best for last. Trevor Penning, Kayode Awosika , and Jake Slaughter are the three prominent names who should be duking it out for the role of starting at left guard. Right guard already seems to be secured by Cole Strange due to his experience in McDaniel’s system. Thus far in OTAs, it’s Awosika getting first-team reps with Trevor Penning reportedly not in attendance as of now. That may leave people questioning why Slaughter isn’t getting the first-team reps after being the Chargers’ second-round pick this year, but remember he’s hasn’t played a snap of guard since high school. Awosika is the veteran in this situation and it’s best for the offense to hit the ground running as much as possible right now and slotting the rookie in there would slow things down ever so much. Once all competitors are in the building, prepare for things to really take flight. Penning will fight like hell to earn a spot after the Saints sent him away. The former first-rounder has always played with a massive chip on his shoulder and the last thing he’ll do is keel over fo [... truncated ...]
TE · LAC
transaction
FA: Charlie Kolar dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agent+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Drops: Charlie Kolar
general
Oronde Gadsden II is the Chargers’ best-kept secret
I think I can, without a doubt, say that second-year tight end Oronde Gadsden II is one of the most exciting Chargers fans are looking forward to watching in 2026 after a great rookie season. He became a dangerous weapon for Justin Herbert once he cemented himself in the team’s starting lineup and will once again be looked upon to make plays under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. Even with the host of other under-the-radar players across the Chargers, including some of their free-agent signings this offseason, Gadsden was actually named the team’s best-kept secret by Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski. Here’s what the analyst had to say: “ Oronde Gadsden II has always been a weapon in the passing game. At Syracuse, the tight end/oversized wide receiver posted two 900-plus yard seasons when healthy. The fact Gadsden entered the Los Angeles Chargers’ lineup as a rookie and caught 49 passes for 664 yards came as no surprise whatsoever. “ “ The 165th overall pick in last year’s draft should expect a bigger workload this fall. “ “ First, Keenan Allen hasn’t re-signed, which frees up 122 targets. Also, the organization brought in veteran tight end David Njoku on a one-year deal to be the primary in-line option. The Chargers can lean heavily on 12 personnel without losing any playmaking thanks to Gadsden and Njoku’s capabilities. “ “ The former has the potential to become Justin Herbert’s new security blanket and control the middle of the field. “ Gadsden was always going to be expected to take that next step in his sophomore season. That notion only gained further momentum when the Chargers added Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator. However, the additions of tight ends Njoku and Charlie Kolar were not made without the idea that both would also be used as receiving threats, even if the latter is deemed one of the best blocking players in the league at his position. Still, as Sobleski highlighted above, Keenan Allen ’s absence from the offense means there’s well over 100 looks left on the table. The expectation remains that Gadsden is likely to lead the room in production by the end of the year, but now the Bolts have three very reliable players to be utilized in a number of ways. And heck, don’t be surprised to see all three of them on the field at the same time quite a bit throughout the season
general
Los Angeles Chargers unveiled their 2026 schedule. See Justin Herbert at SoFi Stadium
SeatGeek is the official NFL Ticketing Partner of the New York Post. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. The Los Angeles Chargers are nothing if not consistent…which is a good but not great thing. Over the past four seasons, Justin Herbert’s gifted squad has suffered three losses in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs. After finishing 11-6 in 2025 (they also went 11-6 in ’24), the Bolts fell 16-3 to the eventual AFC champion Patriots and subsequently faced yet another long offseason. “We weren’t good enough,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said at the end of the season. “We’ll be spending a lot of hard work and maybe even sleepless nights getting it figured out…not looking at this as an end but as another beginning.” And now that the 2026 NFL schedule has been announced, we have an idea of what the club has in store for their next beginning. Just a few of the biggest franchises set to swing into the Chargers’ home SoFi Stadium this year include Bo Nix ’s Denver Broncos (Oct. 11), C.J. Stroud ’s Houston Texans (Nov. 8), Patrick Mahomes ’ Kansas City Chiefs (Jan. 10), their fellow SoFi tenants in the Los Angeles Rams (Nov. 1) and a rematch with Drake Maye ’s New England Patriots on (Nov. 29). These high-profile foes make up what is the NFL’s ninth-most difficult schedule in 2026, according to Yahoo Sports . As for the roster, standout standbys Justin Herbert, Khalil Mack , Derwin James Jr., Omarion Hampton and Joe Alt are all set to return, as is elite left tackle Rashawn Slater , who missed all of 2025 due to a torn patellar tendon. Running back Najee Harris , guard Mekhi Becton and cornerback Donte Jackson are all back, too. Offseason acquisitions Charlie Kolar , Keaton Mitchell , Cole Strange and Tyler Biadasz join them alongside with splashy offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who came over after the Dolphins fired him as head coach. Now all that’s missing is you . If you want to join “the Brochachos” and see the Chargers live, tickets are available for all nine 2026 home games at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium as of today on SeatGeek. Not familiar with SeatGeek? SeatGeek is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand. They offer a 100 percent buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and your tickets will be delivered prior to the event. For those who prefer to pick and choose which home games make the most sense to attend, we’re here for you, too. Below, you’ll find a list of all upcoming Los Angeles Chargers home games at SoFi Stadium, including dates, start times and opponents. Los Angeles Chargers home game dates Cardinals vs. Chargers Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1:25 p.m. Raiders vs. Chargers Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1:05 p.m. Broncos vs. Chargers Sunday, Oct. 11 at 1:05 p.m. Rams vs. Chargers Sunday, Nov. 1 at 1:05 p.m. Texans vs. Chargers Sunday, Nov. 8 at 1:05 p.m. Jets vs. Chargers Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1:05 p.m. Patriots vs. Chargers Sunday, Nov. 29 at 5:20 p.m. 49ers vs. Chargers Sunday, Dec. 17 at 5:15 p.m. Chiefs vs. Chargers TBD If you think you might find yourself traveling with the Chargers this year, here’s where you can find them on the road once the 2026 season begins. Los Angeles Chargers away game dates Chargers vs. Bills Sunday, Sept. 27 at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY Chargers vs. Seahawks Sunday, Oct. 4 at Lumen Field in Seattle , WA Chargers vs. Chiefs Sunday, Oct. 18 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City , MO Chargers vs. Ravens Monday, Nov. 16 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD Chargers vs. Buccaneers Sunday, Dec. 6 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL Chargers vs. Raiders Sunday, Dec. 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV Chargers vs. Dolphins Sunday, Dec. 27 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL Chargers vs. Broncos TBD at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver , C [... truncated ...]
TE · LAC
transaction
FA: Charlie Kolar dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agent+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Drops: Charlie Kolar
TE · LAC
transaction
FA: Charlie Kolar dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agent+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Drops: Charlie Kolar
TE · LAC
transaction
Waiver: Charlie Kolar added
sleeper-tx-waiver+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Adds: Charlie Kolar
TE · LAC
transaction
Waiver: Charlie Kolar added, Noah Gray dropped
sleeper-tx-waiver+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Adds: Charlie Kolar. Drops: Noah Gray
TE · LAC
analyst
Charlie Kolar - Agrees to three-year deal with LAC
sleeper-rotowire+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Kolar agreed to a three-year, $24 million contract with the Chargers on Monday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Once Kolar's deal is made official Wednesday at the start of the new league year, he will become the league's highest-paid blocking tight end, per Garafolo. The deal includes $17 million in guaranteed money. Perhaps the Chargers also see some untapped pass-catching potential in Kolar, who had just 30 catches across four regular seasons with the Ravens while working behind Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely
TE · LAC
transaction
Waiver: Charlie Kolar added, Aidan O'Connell dropped
sleeper-tx-waiver+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Adds: Charlie Kolar. Drops: Aidan O'Connell
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.