Los Angeles Chargers uplifted with bold take in latest power rankings

The Los Angeles Chargers are a popular team in power rankings ahead of training camp. 

Some of it is the Jim Harbaugh factor. The man is just known for turning programs around quickly, especially in Year 2. There’s the fact he’s coaching an elite quarterback in Justin Herbert and despite the massive roster overhaul last year, achieved a playoff berth already. 

While ranking the Chargers at No. 15 in the NFL, though, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio dropped this one-liner: “In most other divisions, they’d be the favorites to win it.”

It’s an interesting thought exercise with the Chargers. Would a division without the Kansas City Chiefs mean the Chargers are the top projected team? Or is this just wishful offseason thinking?

This might make sense when thinking about a division that struggled last year, such as the NFC South. But, for example, the NFC North? The division that had three teams at 11-plus wins, including Detroit at 15-2? 

Unlikely. 

Still, it’s a nice place for the Chargers to sit right now, both in terms of national coverage, national opinion, power rankings and realistic projections. Harbaugh’s team, after all, went 11-6 last year while losing to the Chiefs by 17-10 and 19-17 margins and hope to be even better in 2025.