The Los Angeles Chargers will enter Sunday’s AFC West matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders without offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III and defensive back Elijah Molden, while wide receiver Ladd McConkey is officially questionable after returning to practice Friday.
The final Week 2 injury report gave Los Angeles a mixed result. McConkey, who missed Wednesday and Thursday with the rib injury he suffered in the opener, was able to participate on a limited basis Friday. Pipkins and Molden did not practice all week and were ruled out. Defensive back Deane Leonard is also questionable after three limited practices.
McConkey improved enough to practice Friday
McConkey’s Friday return is the most encouraging development on the Chargers’ final report. Earlier in the week, his availability was difficult to gauge because he had not practiced after leaving Week 1 with the rib injury.
FSN previously reported that Los Angeles added Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the practice squad while McConkey remained day to day. The new development is that McConkey has now returned to the field and carries an official questionable designation rather than remaining completely sidelined.
That does not guarantee he will play. It does give the Chargers a more realistic path to having their top receiver available against Las Vegas, with his response to Friday’s workload and the final pregame evaluation now becoming the key checkpoints.
Pipkins is out after missing all three practices
Pipkins was held out Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with a knee injury and will not play. His absence forces another adjustment up front for an offense trying to give Justin Herbert cleaner conditions after a Week 1 loss.
Los Angeles has interior and tackle depth available, but Pipkins’ versatility makes the loss more significant than a simple one-position substitution. The Chargers use their offensive line combinations to handle protection, movement runs and heavier personnel packages, so removing an experienced lineman narrows some of that flexibility.
The most important consequence will be continuity. Any replacement has to communicate with the rest of the line against a Raiders front that can change alignments and create one-on-one pressure opportunities.
Molden’s absence changes the secondary rotation
Molden is also out after missing the full practice week with a hamstring injury. The Chargers will have to replace his snaps in the defensive backfield while continuing to evaluate Leonard, who is questionable with an abdominal injury.
Los Angeles still has Derwin James Jr. and multiple secondary options, but losing Molden affects more than the starting lineup. Defensive backs are routinely asked to shift between coverage roles, handle motion and contribute on special teams, so one absence can alter several packages.
Leonard’s status matters for the same reason. If he is active, the Chargers regain another experienced defensive back and special-teams contributor. If he cannot play, the secondary becomes thinner at the same time Molden is unavailable.
The Raiders have major availability questions of their own
The Las Vegas Raiders are not entering the matchup at full strength either. Tight end Brock Bowers is doubtful after returning to practice on a limited basis Friday, and cornerback Darien Porter has been ruled out with a foot injury.
Bowers’ designation is especially important because he is one of the Raiders’ central passing-game pieces. FSN has followed his Week 2 knee recovery after he missed the opening practices. Friday’s limited return was progress, but the doubtful tag indicates Las Vegas still considers him unlikely to play.
That uncertainty does not erase Molden’s absence for Los Angeles. It does change the matchup calculus because the Chargers could be replacing a key defensive back against an offense that may also be without its top tight end.
Why the final report matters for Los Angeles
The Chargers began the week with several important players unable to practice, so Friday’s report is better in some areas than the midweek picture suggested. McConkey returned, defensive linemen Teair Tart and Dalvin Tomlinson were full participants, and pass rushers Khalil Mack and Akheem Mesidor finished the week without game designations.
That leaves the injury burden concentrated at a few positions rather than spread throughout the roster. The problem is that the confirmed absences affect two high-leverage areas: offensive-line continuity and defensive-back flexibility.
Los Angeles can plan around those losses because they were clear before the weekend. The larger uncertainty is McConkey, whose availability could substantially change how the offense structures its passing game.
What to watch before kickoff
McConkey’s pregame status will be the headline decision. If he is active, the Chargers can keep their usual receiving hierarchy more intact. If he is inactive or significantly limited, the depth moves Los Angeles made earlier in the week become more important.
Leonard is the other questionable player to monitor because his availability would give the secondary and special teams more flexibility while Molden sits.
Pipkins and Molden are already settled: neither will play. That gives the coaching staff time to prepare replacements rather than waiting on a game-time decision. The Chargers now need the rest of the lineup to absorb those losses without allowing them to create secondary problems elsewhere on the roster.
Sources
- Las Vegas Raiders: Official Raiders-Chargers Week 2 injury report (September 18, 2026)
- NFL.com: Official Week 2 injury report (accessed September 19, 2026)
- NBC Sports: Chargers list Ladd McConkey questionable (September 18, 2026)