• A standout summer continues: Undrafted rookie cornerback Nikko Reed continued his impressive summer with a dominant NFL debut. Targeted twice in the game, Reed allowed zero completions, breaking up one pass and grabbing an interception.

• Lambert-Smith made the most of his limited opportunities: Lambert-Smith caught both of his targets for 43 yards and a touchdown. He lined up out wide on 20 of his 22 snaps and posted a 14.5-yard average depth of target, generating a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeted.

• The best deal of the year: Use discount code earlybird to save up to 33% on your PFF+ subscription.

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

The Los Angeles Chargers kicked off their preseason with a commanding 34-7 victory over the Detroit Lions in the 2025 Hall of Fame Game on Thursday night.

Chargers edge defender Caleb Murphy set the tone from the start, forcing a fumble on the opening play that led to a five-play scoring drive capped by Trey Lance‘s 5-yard touchdown pass to Will Dissly. The Bolts capitalized on three first-half takeaways to build a quick 14-0 lead and never looked back.

The PFF grading team was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. Now unlocked in Premium Stats, full grades, snap counts and signature stats are available for every player.

Usage and performance trends are critical for fantasy decisions and roster evaluation — check out Premium Stats now to see which players are earning snaps and making the most of their opportunities as training camps ramp up. It’s the perfect time to subscribe: Use promo code earlybird to save up to 33% on your PFF+ subscription.

Highest graded player on offense: WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Los Angeles Chargers

Lambert-Smith made the most of his limited opportunities, catching both of his targets for 43 yards and a touchdown. He lined up out wide on 20 of his 22 snaps and posted a 14.5-yard average depth of target, generating a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeted. He finished the game with an 84.9 receiving grade.

Highest-graded player on defense: S Tony Jefferson, Los Angeles Chargers

Veteran safety Tony Jefferson, who ended a year-long retirement to sign with the Chargers in 2024, earned the highest PFF overall grade in the game (95.2). He logged 17 snaps, most of which came in the first quarter, and hauled in an interception on an end-zone overthrow from Lions quarterback Kyle Allen. He also tallied a run-defense stop in a dominant opening period for Los Angeles’ defense.

Highest-graded rookie: CB Nikko Reed, Los Angeles Chargers

The undrafted rookie cornerback continued his impressive summer with a dominant NFL debut. Targeted twice in the game, Reed allowed zero completions, breaking up one pass and grabbing an interception. He held opposing quarterbacks to a 0.0 passer rating when targeted and earned a 95.3 coverage grade.

Highest-graded quarterback: Trey Lance, Los Angeles Chargers

Lance posted a career-best 74.3 passing grade in the Hall of Fame Game, completing 13 of his 20 attempts for 120 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He recorded two big-time throws, both under pressure, and avoided any turnover-worthy plays. Lance pushed the ball downfield, recording an 8.9-yard average depth of target and completed 5-of-8 passes for 42 yards when pressured.

Highest-graded offensive lineman: G Jamaree Salyer, Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers held out Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater, Mekhi Becton and Bradley Bozeman from Thursday’s contest, allowing 2022 draft pick Jamaree Salyer to get the start at right guard. He earned the game’s top PFF overall grade among offensive linemen after letting up no quarterback pressures on six pass-blocking snaps and making two positively graded run blocks on six run-blocking snaps.

Highest-graded play of the game: Nikko Reed’s near pick-six

Nikko Reed earned a +1.5 coverage grade on his interception — a standout play that showcases the nuance behind PFF’s grading scale. He actively read the quarterback, jumped the route and secured the pick. While it wasn’t a pick-six, had he taken it to the house instead of being tackled at the 5-yard line, the play likely would’ve been graded a +2.