Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Los Angeles Chargers.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Chargers had a strong season, finishing 11-6 and advancing to the playoffs, although the Houston Texans defeated them in the Wild Card Round.  There were two new additions to the list and one elevation on our Top 50.

As always, we present our top five, which remain unchanged. 

1. Junior Seau
2. LaDainian Tomlinson
3. Lance Alworth
4. Dan Fouts
5. Philip Rivers

You can find the entire list here.

Joey Bosa, who is now with the Buffalo Bills and was the 2016 Defensive Rookie of the Year, advanced two spots to #36.

Four-time Pro Bowl Safety Derwin James debuts on the list at #40.

The other new entry is Quarterback Justin Herbert, who comes in at #45.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

After two years starting at Florida State, Derwin James established himself as one of the top Safeties of the 2018 Draft, and he was the second one taken (17th Overall) by the Chargers, where his rookie year was so incredible that he was a First Team All-Pro and the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year.

Blessed with a high football IQ and versatility at the Safety position, James’ ascent was derailed in his sophomore year with right foot issues that held him to five Games, and he lost his third season (2020) with knee issues.  Despite the ailments, James bounced back in 2021 and recorded over 100 Combined Tackles each season from 2021 to 2023 and was a Pro Bowler three times in four seasons.

James begins the 2025 season as the top Defensive Back in L.A., and could potentially be a top-twenty all-time Charger.

2024 Pre-Season Rank #130, 2023: Pre-Season Rank #136.  Peak Period: 2018-24*

After a spectacular rookie year (2018) where he was the runner-up for the Defensive Rookie of the Year, James missed 11 Games in 2019 with a foot injury and the entirety of 2020 with a torn meniscus. James defied the odds, and the Safety had a two-year run in the Pro Bowls afterward, with another one in 2024. Can James make a run for the Hall despite his early injury bug?

*Missed the entire 2020 Season.