Will Najee Harris Play vs. Chiefs? NFL Insider Confirms Injury Status for Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers RB

Najee Harris’ Fourth of July nearly turned tragic. His agent, Doug, stated, “Najee Harris was present at a 4th of July event where a fireworks mishap resulted in injuries to several attendees.” Harris suffered a superficial eye injury in a fireworks mishap that injured several attendees, forcing him to spend all of training camp on the non-football injury list. But this was never stopping the RB to step on the gridiron in the 2025 season. Doug went on to say this back in July: “But [he] is fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season.” And here we are.

On Wednesday, head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed that Harris will suit up for the Chargers’ season opener against the Chiefs in São Paulo, Brazil. “He says he’s ready and he looks ready to go,” Harbaugh told reporters. Although he cautioned that rookie Omarion Hampton may carry most of the load as Harris works his way back into shape.

Harris returned to practice last week and spoke publicly for the first time since the incident, calling the eye injury “superficial” and stressing that it has not affected his vision. He appeared before reporters wearing yellow sunglasses. But he brushed off speculation that he might be hiding something. “I don’t care what people think. I honestly don’t. It’s not my job to care what other people think. It’s my job to do what I got to do,” Harris said.

The 26-year-old declined to go into detail about the fireworks accident itself, describing the experience only as “humbling” and a reminder of how quickly things can change. Still, his absence from camp leaves questions about how effective he can be in his Chargers debut. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirmed Harris’ activation to the 53-man roster and echoed Harbaugh’s expectation that he will play Friday.

“He missed all of training camp, essentially, but was activated into the 53-man roster, and according to coach Jim Harbaugh, is expected to play on Friday. This is very good news for the Los Angeles Chargers,” Rapoport reported. Mixed feelings stem from celebrating his comeback while questioning whether he’s truly game-ready without preseason preparation.

But for Harris, it’s a no-brainer. After all, he proved his health with three straight practices last week before being cleared for contact Friday. His physical style of play looks intact, and head coach Jim Harbaugh praised how sharp he’s looked in drills, giving Los Angeles confidence their new power back is ready to go. The Chiefs, meanwhile, are preparing as if Harris will be full throttle, aware of how much his bruising presence can shift the Chargers’ offensive approach.

In three career combined regular season and postseason games against the Chiefs, Harris has recorded 44 carries for 196 yards and no touchdowns, averaging 4.4 yards per carry. When healthy, Harris forces defenses to account for his downhill running, setting the tone for the entire game plan.

His return also gives the Chargers exactly what they lacked in 2024: physicality and control. Harris’ power running can shorten games by keeping Patrick Mahomes off the field, while his pass protection adds security for Justin Herbert against Steve Spagnuolo’s relentless blitz schemes. Beyond that, Harris is a true every-down back. He handled 85% of snaps in 2022, over 70% in 2023… That’s not common for an RB. And that kind of reliability becomes a game-changer against Kansas City, especially with the Chiefs entering the opener already dealing with injury concerns of their own.

Chargers enter Brazil healthy while Chiefs face injury concerns

The Los Angeles Chargers are heading to Brazil in remarkably good health. Their Wednesday injury report featured just two players: safety Elijah Molden (knee) and running back Najee Harris (eye). Most importantly, both were full participants in practice. Head coach Jim Harbaugh removed any doubt about Harris’s status, confirming earlier Wednesday that he expects his starting running back to play in Week 1. This clean bill of health provides a significant advantage as they prepare for the tough international matchup, especially when KC’s feeling the injury woes.

The Chiefs enter Friday night with Patrick Mahomes. But the reality is his supporting cast looks thin and banged up. Losing Jalen Royal on top of Rashee Rice’s suspension strips Kansas City’s receiving room of explosiveness, and the depth behind Hollywood Brown suddenly feels shaky. Plus, with Omarr Norman-Lott questionable. That uncertainty clouds the defensive front. So, added load for Pat under center to add more scores on the board. That’s a dangerous but familiar formula for Andy Reid’s team.

For the Chargers, this sets the stage perfectly. A healthy Najee Harris gives LA the kind of physical edge that can punish a wounded Kansas City roster. If the Chiefs’ starters play at less than 100% and depth pieces are thrown into extended action, it calls for a spicy opener. The balance tips further in the Chargers’ favor. Neutral site or not, the opener could hinge less on Mahomes’ brilliance and more on whether his teammates hold up under the weight of attrition.