A college coaching scandal collided with NFL preseason drama as a trolling moment stole some spotlight from the football field. The Rams fired back at Jim Harbaugh’s NCAA penalties with a cheeky social post, signaling the off‑field saga remains loud in the sport’s echo chamber. The NFL side of the story moved quickly in the same week: a tense exhibition between the Rams and Chargers ended 23‑22 after a late Stetson Bennett TD hookup, with Tru Edwards snagging an 8‑yard score as five seconds remained. Edwards would exit the game with a concussion, adding another layer to a chaotic week for both teams.

Off the field, Harbaugh’s fate looms large: the NCAA’s 10‑year show‑cause penalty (on top of a prior four years) could effectively bar him from college coaching through 2038, while reports noted a five‑year Chargers contract at $16 million per year. In his first Chargers season, Harbaugh guided a rebound from 5‑11 to 11‑6, a notable turn for a program that had just seen sanctions swirl around its leadership. For fantasy players, the intersection of coaching chaos and late‑season NFL depth charts creates ripples—from a potential Bennett opportunity in Los Angeles to the Chargers’ WR stability after Johnston’s concussion. The Rams’ playful jab against the Harbaugh era underscored how quickly narratives shift from sanctions to scheming and contingency plans as teams navigate a season full of unknowns.

Quentin Johnston suffered a concussion in the Chargers' preseason opener against the Rams after a big hit from Tanner Ingle on a Herbert pass. Diagnosed as a precaution, Johnston was taken to the hospital but later sat up as he was escorted off the field. Johnston, LA's 2023 first‑round pick, carved out a role as a deep threat last year with 711 yards and eight touchdowns on 55 receptions, setting expectations for a bigger volume in 2024. KeAndre Lambert-Smith also exited with an injury, signaling early depth questions for LA's receiver corps.

Those hits cast a shadow over LA's passing game as fantasy managers weigh the impact. With Johnston possibly sidelined, Herbert's downfield options could shrink, elevating Keenan Allen and Palmer and potentially thrusting Lambert-Smith into a larger role if healthy. The Rams opened with a physical stance that underscores the risk of early-season injuries, leaving the Chargers to recalibrate their WR rotation while Johnston’s status remains the focal point for Week 1 projections.

Quentin Johnston suffered a concussion in Saturday’s Chargers-Rams game and was transported for precautionary evaluation, triggering the NFL’s mandatory protocol. Johnston must clear concussion protocol before returning, creating immediate questions for Week 1 fantasy plans. KeAndre Lambert-Smith stepped in for Johnston but also left the game with an injury, adding to the Chargers’ WR depth uncertainty. With Johnston sidelined for now, the Chargers’ aerial attack could pivot to Lambert-Smith or other in-house options, making practice updates and protocol progress critical for fantasy managers.

In short, Johnston’s status is up in the air and Lambert-Smith’s health becomes a key variable for late-summer fantasy projections. Until the team clarifies return timelines, rostering decisions at Chargers wide receiver should hinge on the latest injury reports and concussion protocol progress rather than preseason snap counts alone.

Quentin Johnston, LA Chargers' 2023 first-rounder and a go-to deep target, left the preseason game against the Rams on the opening series after a big hit, carted off but later able to sit up. He finished last season as the team's top TD getter with eight grabs for 711 yards on 55 receptions, highlighting his big-play upside. KeAndre Lambert-Smith, a rookie, also exited with an injury, further thinning a Chargers receiving corps that already endured a rough camp and is without Rashawn Slater for the year after a torn patellar tendon. LA rolled out most starters despite health concerns on defense with Derwin James and Khalil Mack watching from the sideline. The Rams tested depth behind a lineup that keeps Herbert under center, while Johnston’s status looms large for immediate fantasy impact.

The injuries underscore how quickly a WR corps can shift in the NFL’s ongoing ladder of depth, with Johnston and Lambert-Smith as the primary names to monitor. Slater’s season-long absence leaves a palpable void on the line, salting the potential for pressure and affecting both Herbert’s timing and pass efficiency. In a preseason where top players rested, the Chargers emphasized evaluation of backups and role players, making immediate production from Johnson’s and Lambert-Smith’s replacements critical for fantasy managers in PPR formats.

Herbert’s first true preseason action of 2025 yielded a flash deep shot to Quentin Johnston before a frightening moment sent the rookie to the sideline. Johnston’s exit comes with the Chargers already juggling injuries and a shaky August lead-in, making every rep crucial for a rookie entering a crowded WR room. Rashawn Slater’s season-ending blow earlier in the summer worsens the depth chart questions up front, amplifying early-season concerns about pass protection and receiver timing.

With Johnston banged up and the WR pecking order thinner behind Keenan Allen, fantasy managers will watch closely how the Chargers allocate targets in the coming weeks. If Johnston misses time, Joshua Palmer and other depth options could pick up meaningful volume early, reshaping interim projections in LA. The Rams defense responded with physicality, and a hard hit from Tanner Ingle underscored the physical stakes of this game.

Overall, the episode reinforces a practical fantasy takeaway: early August injuries and unexpected preseason lulls can shift depth charts quickly. Johnston’s health will dictate whether he anchors the Week 1 role or if others absorb the early targets, while the Chargers’ o-line health will influence Herbert’s ceiling in the opening weeks.