He played college football for the Eastern Washington Eagles and was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2002.
After re-signing with the team as an exclusive rights free agent, Chatman appeared in 15 games for the Chargers in 2004 despite a nagging toe injury.
The toe injury finally got the best of him in the playoffs, when he was forced to sit out the team's AFC Wild Card match-up against the New York Jets.
The addition of rookie Darren Sproles, the development of Michael Turner, Chatman's absence from Qualcomm Stadium in the offseason as well as weight issues all contributed to his release from the team that July.
Despite the concerns held by the Chargers, particularly head coach Marty Schottenheimer, Chatman received plenty of interest on the open market from teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks.
However, it was the Miami Dolphins who inked Chatman on September 3, 2005, to provide depth while Ricky Williams served a four-game suspension.
Chatman was inactive for the first five games of the regular season with the Dolphins before being traded to the New Orleans Saints for a conditional seventh-round draft choice on October 11.
This most recent stint with the Dolphins re-united him with head coach Cam Cameron, who was the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers during Chatman's time there.