The Los Angeles Chargers took down the Houston Texans in the preseason opener with relative ease. 

Not bad, considering Justin Herbert and the bulk of the starters watched the action from the sidelines. 

The stars of the show were a little all over the place and not what onlookers expected. DJ Uiagalelei was the best quarterback, throwing for 120 yards and one score. Amar Johnson, the best running back, had 85 total yards and two scores, plus a two-point conversion. 

Overall, the most important takeaways from the game might just be some of the questions it created. 

Chargers questions after win vs. Texans

Is the LG battle over?

Good news: Second-round rookie Jake Slaughter looked strong at left guard. 

Bad news: He started the day at center and usage for other players might be a sign he’s headed for a backup role in Week 1, anyway. 

Jim Harbaugh, after all, rested most of his starters on Thursday night. That included Kayode Awosika, who briefly said hello at right guard, but didn’t really see the field otherwise. 

One could reason that, perhaps Awosika is firmly installed as the starting left guard now. Branson Taylor, the other guy making noise for the job, got looks at both tackle spots, in addition to left guard. 

Taylor winding up as the backup swing tackle to push Trey Pipkins while Slaughter backs up Awosika at left guard might be the play by Week 1. Maybe they keep ramping up Slaughter and he eventually takes it, but the fact the coaches had five or six guys in the running for the job to start camp, instead of just giving the rookie all the reps, was pretty telling. 

What’s up with the kick return battle?

Let the race for the return job on special teams commence. 

Chargers coaches had suggested it was coming, but Thursday night was the big dose of proof. Wideout Derius Davis remains top dog in the race, it seems, but wideouts Brenen Thompson, Luke Grimm and Devonte Ross also got looks as punt returners against the Texans. Ross took two back for 13 yards and Thomspn took one back for 12 yards.

For Grimm and Ross, it might be their only path to the final roster. Thompson is a rookie hand-picked by Mike McDaniel, so he’s not going anywhere. His inclusion would make it about five wideouts as a lock already. 

The question is, will Grimm or Ross flash enough to knock Davis out of the spot? He only appeared in 11 games last year and the battle appears open, at least. 

Does Amar Johnson breakout change RB conversation at all?

Most probably didn’t have Amar Johnson, an undrafted free agent from 2025, topping the Chargers’ running back performances. 

That projection probably went to popular undrafted rookie Greg Desrosiers Jr., or even solid third option at running back, Kimani Vidal. 

Johnson’s production, though, creates some good problems for the Chargers. Nobody is knocking Omarion Hampton from the major role. Keaton Mitchell is the free agent picked by McDaniel. And Vidal looked good last year in an every-down role after Hampton and Najee Harris got hurt. 

That fourth running back spot now has Johnson fighting with Desrosiers and Jaret Patterson. It’s hard to imagine they keep a fifth. 

Onlookers might be able to pencil in Johnson as having a major lead over the other two at this point. It might also be worth wondering, though, should one of the other names pop over the two remaining games, too, if the Chargers consider moving on from Vidal, either via cut or trade. 

Unlikely, obviously, it’s a good problem to have at a spot that seriously struggled with injuries last year.