Welcome to my annual rankings of the 20 players most important to the Los Angeles Chargers’ success in 2026.This will be Part 1 of the rankings, counting down players 20 to 11. Part 2 will come out next week, counting down the top 10.Some background before we dive: These are not necessarily the 20 best players on the Chargers roster. Instead, these are the 20 players I think will have the biggest impact on how the Chargers perform in Year 3 under coach Jim Harbaugh. It is an exercise more geared toward finding the pressure points of the roster. Where do the Chargers need to see improvement? Who are they relying on? Where can they least afford injuries or performance regression?Onto the rankings.All statistics courtesy of TruMedia unless otherwise noted.Chargers minicamp takeaways: Justin Herbert makes noticeable changeDaniel Popper20. DL Dalvin TomlinsonThe Chargers signed Tomlinson in free agency to replace Da’Shawn Hand, who played 451 defensive snaps in 2025. Hand was very reliable against the run last season, but Tomlinson, at 6-foot-3, 335 pounds, provides a much bigger frame. As defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary said of Tomlinson earlier in the offseason, “You got to double-team him in the run game, and he’s had a lot of experience beating double-teams on his own.”Under previous coordinator Jesse Minter, the Chargers played frequently with light boxes, meaning fewer defenders close to the ball. The Chargers often aligned with two deep safeties and devoted more resources to the pass defense. O’Leary is a Minter disciple. Structurally, his defense will be very similar. Tomlinson’s size and strength could elevate the Chargers run defense in these lighter boxes. Last season, the Chargers ranked 18th in defensive rushing success rate when defending in light boxes.19. LG Jake SlaughterThe Chargers drafted Slaughter in the second round in April. I am expecting him to win the starting left guard spot in training camp. Slaughter was exclusively a center in college at Florida, so he is making a position switch as he enters the NFL. That transition was already underway this spring as the Chargers held OTAs and minicamp at The Bolt. The real test for Slaughter will happen when the pads come on during training camp and the contact picks up.Left guard feels like a leverage point with this offensive line. The other four starting positions are set: LT Rashawn Slater, C Tyler Biadasz, RG Cole Strange, RT Joe Alt. The spot up for grabs is left guard. If Slaughter works out, the group comes together. If Slaughter does not work, the Chargers will be turning to Kayode Awosika or Trevor Penning.18. CB Cam HartThe Chargers did not make any significant changes to their cornerback room this offseason as O’Leary took over for Minter. They added two undrafted free agents in Avery Smith and Rodney Shelley. That is it. The result: The Chargers are banking on continued development from some of their young cornerbacks.I think Hart is the player who has the potential to make the biggest improvement for a couple of reasons. One, Hart did not have a full offseason in 2025 because of a shoulder injury. Two, Hart’s athletic traits give him true No. 1 corner upside.“When Cam Hart gets his hands on somebody at the line of scrimmage, he’s elite,” O’Leary said.It’s a pretty interesting situation. Minter was consistently able to get the most out of his players on defense, and that was particularly true in the cornerback room. Position coach Steve Clinkscale remains on staff. Will O’Leary, as a play caller, get the same level of play from the group? Generating a developmental jump from Hart would be a big step toward achieving that.