Chargers projected to have mild start to 2026 season

The Chargers have one of the toughest schedules in the NFL for the 2026 season. Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport discussed which teams have the chance for a breakout start to the new campaign and which teams won't. Davenport predicts the Chargers to have a mild first month of the 2026 season.

"The Chargers made the postseason a year ago, and the Bolts should come out of the first month of the season no worse than 2-2 thanks to opening the season against two doormats in the Cardinals and Raiders . After that? Buckle up, son, because the ride gets bumpy—after that Week 2 date with the Raiders, the Chargers travel to first Buffalo and Seattle before a home date with the Broncos and a trip to Kansas City.

That Week 7 bye is going to be welcomed, even if three more tough matchups follow," Davenport writes. The Chargers will be tested early on in 2026, facing top-tier teams in the Bills and the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks. Seattle will arguably be one of the Bolts' toughest opponents of the season, given their complete roster, and LA will be on the road.

Last season, the Chargers had a hot 3-0 start to the year but cooled down after. The difficulty of their 2026 schedule gives the Chargers little room for error throughout the season, so they'll need to get wins where they can. Davenport is correct in his analysis of the Chargers picking up wins over the Cardinals and Raiders, but if they can also win one of the two against the Bills and Seattle, that would be a strong start to 2026.