Chargers Sign Tejhaun Palmer as WR Injuries Cloud Week 8 vs. Rams

The Los Angeles Chargers added a contingency option at wide receiver on Tuesday, October 27, signing Tejhaun Palmer to the practice squad as the team returned from its bye and began preparing for a Week 8 meeting with the Los Angeles Rams.

The move is official in the NFL transaction ledger. It does not guarantee Palmer a game-day role, but the timing matters because Ladd McConkey, Tre’ Harris and Brenen Thompson all carry health questions into the week.

What the Chargers added in Tejhaun Palmer

Palmer, 26, entered the league as Arizona’s sixth-round pick at No. 191 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He has appeared in one regular-season game and has not recorded an NFL reception, so this is a depth move rather than an immediate change to the Chargers’ starting lineup.

His college résumé offers the clearest picture of the skill set Los Angeles is adding. Palmer finished his UAB career with 83 receptions for 1,409 yards and nine touchdowns. As a senior in 2023, he produced 47 catches for 858 yards and seven scores, according to UAB Athletics. At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, he gives the practice squad another outside receiver with size and downfield experience.

Why the timing matters for Week 8

The Chargers visit the Rams on Sunday, November 1, at 4:05 p.m. ET. The team’s official schedule confirms the cross-town matchup at SoFi Stadium.

McConkey left the Chargers’ Week 6 loss to Kansas City with a concussion. Harris missed that game because of a hamstring injury, while Thompson was listed with a quadriceps injury and was active but did not play an offensive snap. The Chargers’ final Week 6 injury report had Harris out and Thompson doubtful before the bye.

As of 1:01 a.m. CT on Wednesday, October 28, Los Angeles had not released its first official Week 8 practice report. That distinction is important: none of those three receivers should be treated as ruled in or out based only on the Palmer signing. Wednesday through Friday practice participation will supply the first formal update.

Fantasy football impact

Fantasy scoring note: Recommendations assume half PPR scoring unless stated otherwise.

Palmer is a watchlist player, not a waiver claim or a Week 8 start. He first must earn a standard game-day elevation from the practice squad, then carve out snaps ahead of receivers already on the active roster. Even if elevated, his lack of NFL offensive production would make his initial fantasy floor extremely low.

The more actionable fantasy takeaway is to monitor the existing Chargers rotation. Quentin Johnston and KeAndre Lambert-Smith are positioned to absorb more routes and targets if McConkey or Harris cannot play. Justin Herbert’s projection would also take a modest hit if multiple receivers remain unavailable, especially against a Rams defense that can force opponents into obvious passing situations.

Managers with McConkey should keep a replacement ready until he clears the concussion protocol and receives a game designation. Harris and Thompson belong on deep-league watchlists only until they log meaningful practice work. Palmer becomes relevant in dynasty or very deep formats only if the Chargers elevate him and the injury report leaves the team short-handed.

The strongest counterargument is that Palmer's signing may be routine practice squad maintenance rather than a signal that McConkey, Harris or Thompson will miss Week 8. That is plausible, which is why Palmer remains only a watchlist option until the Chargers publish practice participation and any game day elevation.

What to watch before Chargers-Rams

The first checkpoint is Wednesday’s practice designation for McConkey, Harris and Thompson. The second is whether Palmer is elevated by Saturday afternoon. The final confirmation comes with the Chargers’ inactive list, released about 90 minutes before kickoff.

For now, the signing tells us Los Angeles wanted another healthy receiver available in the building. It does not yet tell us that Palmer will play—or that any injured Charger will sit.

Bottom line

Los Angeles used its practice squad to add insurance at a position carrying three unresolved Week 8 health questions. Palmer’s size and college production make him a sensible emergency depth option, but fantasy managers should focus on practice participation and the active roster before making lineup decisions.

Factual cutoff: October 28, 2026 at 1:23 AM CDT. This story will require an update when the Chargers publish their official Week 8 practice report.