The Los Angeles Chargers are coming off a crucial overtime win over the Philadelphia Eagles to solidify their playoff positioning. In Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, they can all but guarantee a spot in the January dance.
However, Los Angeles won’t be at full strength. Quarterback Justin Herbert is still dealing with a hand injury, and a groin ailment has landed wide receiver Quentin Johnston on the injury report.
Quentin Johnston Week 15 Injury Update
Johnston began his 2025 campaign playing the best football of his career, totaling 337 yards in the first four weeks.
The two months since have gone worse, generating fewer than 200 yards and ceding ground to Keenan Allen, Ladd McConkey, and Oronde Gadsden II. He’s been a victim of the offense’s turbulence, as the passing attack has taken a step back amid offensive line injuries.
Now, Johnston’s groin could hold him out of Week 15. He was labeled as a DNP on Friday and was a new addition to the injury report, listed as questionable for Sunday. The timing of the injury works against him, with little time to recover, and it isn’t immediately clear whether he’ll be available.
Quentin Johnston listed questionable for Week 15.
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) December 12, 2025
Linebacker Troy Dye was also listed as limited and currently carries a questionable designation.
Despite September’s flashes, Johnston’s tumble has once again fallen short of his first-round expectations. By PFSN’s Wide Receiver Impact metric, he currently ranks 66th among 100 qualifiers with a C- grade, surrounded by names like Greg Dortch, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Calvin Ridley, and Sterling Shepard.
An absence wouldn’t derail the Chargers’ plans, but Johnston has the frame and athleticism to create explosive plays. He can stretch the defense vertically and is at his best making plays after the catch on manufactured touches. With Herbert operating at less than 100%, Los Angeles can use all the help it can get.
Of course, taking on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes demands a strong offensive performance, and an aggressive Kansas City defense will stress test one of the league’s worst offensive lines. Not having Johnston as an underneath option could prove to be meaningful. This is Johnston’s second injury of the season, having already suffered a concussion in the preseason.
While the Chargers are playing an important game in Week 15, an eye towards January could lend itself to being cautious with Johnston. Rushing him back from a soft-tissue injury is a risk that Los Angeles’ current Wild Card standing doesn’t require.
McConkey was also limited this week due to a foot injury, but is expected to be good to go in Kansas City.
