Chargers plan to play their starters on Thursday night

Published August 18, 2026 12:28 PM The Chargers will get to work with the 49ers at a joint practice on Tuesday, but that won’t be the only action their starters get in a competitive setting this week.Head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters at a press conference that the team’s starters will also take part in Thursday’s preseason game between the teams. Harbaugh said that the plan is for quarterback Justin Herbert and other starters to play one series before heading to the bench. It’s a similar approach to the one that Harbaugh took with the Chargers last summer. That marked the first time that Herbert ever played in the preseason as COVID, coaching decisions and a foot injury kept him off the field in previous exhibition games. The big difference this year is that it will be the first chance to see Herbert operating offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s scheme in a game setting. McDaniel said Monday that the goal is for the offense to produce “Year 2 results in Year 1” and Thursday will bring a chance to see how close they are to that level.