If you never looked at underdog fantasy ADP and I told you you could draft QB Justin Herbert in round 12, you’d probably laugh. In fact, it’s true. Justin Herbert’s current underdog fantasy ADP is 132.
My understanding of the pessimistic situation is that he lost his best weapons in free agency and the offense under head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman will likely be more focused on the run.
The fact is, however, that Herbert is still one of the best young quarterbacks in this league. He is now paired with a top-notch, offensive-minded coach and playmaker.
Even though they are generally more run-heavy, Herbert could benefit from more scoring opportunities in the red zone if he is more successful.
They still have WR Josh Palmer and WR Quentin Johnston back and added WR Ladd McConkey in the NFL Draft. I believe McConkey will ultimately be Herbert’s WR1, but Palmer has proven himself when needed and could be a valuable asset to Herbert. I would love to pair Herbert with one or both of these receivers. This stack is incredibly valuable.
Plus, they don’t have an elite defense, so the Chargers may have to throw more than they’d like. And there aren’t many quarterbacks more than Herbert that I want on my fantasy team when I need to score to keep up with the opposing offense. Herbert and the offense could be forced into some shootouts and improve his fantasy production.
Bottom line, I think the fantasy community overestimates the Chargers’ run-heavy offense and discounting Justin Herbert feels like theft. Herbert is drafted QB17 and I really predict he will be a top-10 fantasy quarterback this season. I think we’ll look back and laugh at his draft value in round 12. So take advantage of the opportunity and buy Herbert in best ball drafts.
See the rest of the 2024 Best Ball Top 250 rankings on SportsLine.
