Chargers Stash KeAndre Lambert-Smith on IR After Two Special-Teams Snaps
The second-year wideout logged just five catches as a rookie and now hits injured reserve, with Gary Jennings called up from the practice squad.
IR stint ends any near-term value for a WR who was already off the radar.
- Placed on IR Tuesday by the Chargers
- Played just 2 special-teams snaps vs. Arizona
- Rookie line: 5 rec, 51 yds, 1 TD in 10 games
- Ranks #408 overall, #157 at WR in our model
- Gary Jennings signed off the practice squad
The Chargers moved KeAndre Lambert-Smith to injured reserve on Tuesday, closing the door on the second-year receiver's fantasy relevance for the foreseeable future. He'd logged all of two special-teams snaps against Arizona before the roster shuffle, which tells you exactly where he sat on the depth chart.
Lambert-Smith was a fifth-round pick a year ago and never carved out a role. His rookie season (2025) produced five catches for 51 yards and one touchdown across 10 games — good for 16 PPR points on the year, actual, not projected. That's a couple of decent flex games' worth of production spread over a full campaign.
To fill the spot, the Chargers promoted wideout Gary Jennings from their practice squad. Jennings has one NFL game to his name — a 2019 cameo with the Dolphins — and more recent reps in the UFL. Los Angeles also added cornerback Isas Waxter to the practice squad to round out the day's moves.
The Fantasy Fallout
None of this registers on redraft radars, and that's the honest read. Lambert-Smith sits at #408 overall in our model and #157 among wide receivers — deep-league dart-throw territory at best, and even that was generous before the IR designation. An IR stint plus a spot that's now Jennings' to lose removes any lingering upside.
If you're in a dynasty format and somehow rostered Lambert-Smith on a hunch, there's no urgency to hold the line. The buzz that made him a fifth-rounder hasn't translated to snaps, and burying him on IR after two special-teams reps is a loud signal from the coaching staff.
The move for managers is simple: drop him and don't look back. Gary Jennings isn't a pickup either — one career NFL game and UFL work don't move a needle in any standard league. File this one under roster housekeeping and spend your waiver claim elsewhere.
