“We picked up too, in a lot of ways, where we left off compared to last year,” Chargers’ HC Jim Harbaugh claimed last month. A lot of things didn’t go right for the Chargers. For instance, QB Justin Herbert had to rely on rookie Ladd McConkey often and didn’t have anyone else to go to. With only two career playoff games, Herbert had a four-INT and one-TD performance on the back of the last season that was the league’s fifth-easiest schedule. However, contrary to last year, the Chargers have what is tied for the league’s 11th-hardest schedule based on last season’s opponent win percentage of .522. The clock is ticking, and an 11-6 record last season has left a lot to be desired!

Updates are coming from all over. For starters, OC Greg Roman shared an update on Monday: “Compared to this time last year, it’s night and day.” HC Jim Harbaugh too is so far impressed with his team, and on the latest episode of The Pat McAfee show released just hours ago, he stated, “I mean, if I looked at our top guys—the elite eight guys on our team, that would be Justin Herbert, Derwin James, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Zion Johnson, Ladd McConkey, Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater.

“I mean, that’s no disrespect to the other guys that are training at a great and high level, but I mean, those guys are elite.” And just like that, the Chargers’ ‘Elite Eight‘ was born—a crew of players handpicked to set the tone from the offseason grind to the SoFi Stadium turf. Here, take a look:

1. Justin Herbert, the QB with a cannon arm, has been torching defenses since 2020—21,093 passing yds, 137 TDs, and a slick 96.7 rating over 79 games. In 2024 alone, he slung 3,870 yds and 23 TDs with just 3 picks, cementing his spot as the franchise’s heartbeat. Perhaps, that’s the reason why the HC said last month, “I got to get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame. Must get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame.“
2. Derwin James, the safety with hawk-like instincts, racked up 590 tackles and 17 sacks in his career, including 93 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2024—pure chaos for opposing offenses. For Harbaugh, he is a versatile player – “Just consistently a great player in any situation you put him in, any position you put him. His flexibility, he is off the charts. And then he grades out right around that A, A+ category every single game,” Harbaugh said last year.
3. Khalil Mack still brings the thunder with 107.5 career sacks, including 6 in 2024, to keep QBs sleepless. This is the same player for whom Harbaugh, in a presser, leaned over & grabbed general manager Joe Hortiz’s arm, shaking him and saying: “Pay the man, Joe! Pay the man,” during his extension talks.
4. Tuli Tuipulotu, the young edge rusher who erupted for 8.5 (13 overall) sacks in 2024, is a menace in the backfield.
5. Zion Johnson, the steady guard, has locked down 49 starts since 2022, a brick wall for the O-line.
6. Ladd McConkey, last year’s rookie WR sensation, snagged 82 catches for 1,149 yds and 7 TDs in 2024, rewriting Chargers’ rookie records. Harbaugh even called his route running “elite.“
7. Joe Alt, another first-year stud, didn’t let a single pressure slip past him in a game against the Saints—textbook protection.
8. Rashawn Slater, the elite guard and OT, anchors the line with a quiet ferocity that’s been golden since day one. These aren’t just players; they’re the pulse of a team reborn under Harbaugh’s watch, an 11–6 squad that stormed into the playoffs in 2024.

But hold up—where’s Najee Harris in this lineup?

Najee Harris’ omission: A California homecoming without the Jim Harbaugh crown!

Harris just signed a 1-year, $9.25 M deal with the Chargers, after four straight 1,000-yd seasons. We’re talking 4,312 rushing yds on 1,097 carries, 28 TDs, and not a single fumble in his first season. He’s back in his home state, a full-circle vibe after Harbaugh first scouted him in high school back in 2016. You’d think a guy with that resume would waltz right into the ‘Elite Eight,‘ right? No! Harbaugh has other plans, and it has got tongues wagging from LA to Pittsburgh.

So, what’s the deal with the snub? Maybe Najee is the new guy, still finding his footing with a squad that’s been grinding together through OTAs and beyond. Or perhaps Harbaugh is playing chess, not checkers—lighting a fire under Harris to prove he’s more than just a stat-sheet beast. Think about it. In Madden, you don’t get that captain’s badge handed to you; You need to earn it through reps and big plays. Harris, with his durability and nose for the end zone, might just be on deck to crash that elite party.

Chargers fans know the lore—back in 2006, LaDainian Tomlinson dropped 31 TDs and snagged MVP honors, setting a bar for RBs that Najee could chase. For now, though, he’s on the outside looking in. As the Chargers gear up for 2025, this ‘Elite Eight‘ is the spine of a team that flipped the script from a 5–12 flop in 2023 to a playoff contender. And they now have Najee Harris too. Do you think he will be instrumental in bagging big wins for the team? Let us know in the comments below.