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Herbert managed a QB8 finish in points per game last year while dealing with poor protection, injuries, and frustrating weekly swings. Now he gets an OC upgrade in Mike McDaniel, more pass-catching depth, and what should be an improved O-line. Herbert isn’t cheap at QB9, but his combination of top-end talent and a better offensive setup makes him worth the price.
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Herbert threw for 3,727 yards, 26 TDs, and 13 INTs across 16 games. He added a career-high 498 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.
That was good for QB9 in total fantasy points and QB8 in points per game, but the week-to-week ride was uneven:
Among 42 QBs with 150+ attempts, Herbert ranked:
Those marks look a lot like Herbert’s first five NFL seasons, which counts as a small win given the rough setup around him.
Herbert faced a league-high 43.3% pressure rate and absorbed 54 sacks, second-most in the NFL.
The Chargers spent most of the season without both starting OTs, as Rashawn Slater missed the year and Joe Alt played just six games before ankle surgery. That helps explain their last-place finish in ESPN’s run-block win rate.
The backfield got hit, too. Round 1 rookie Omarion Hampton played only nine games, and Najee Harris lasted 15 carries before a season-ending Achilles’ tear.
L.A. still ranked third in total plays despite finishing 27th in pace and 30th in situation-neutral pace. The passing volume remained solid, with Herbert ranking 13th in attempts per game and the Chargers sitting seventh in pass rate.
Herbert broke a bone in his left hand during a Week 13 matchup with Vegas that required surgery. He only missed time in Week 18, resting ahead of the Chargers’ wild card game.
The Chargers return six of their top seven target earners from 2025.
Keenan Allen is the lone exception, and at 34 his departure shouldn’t be a major loss. Among 56 WRs with 80+ targets last year, Allen ranked:
The Chargers should spread Allen’s targets across a deep, young pass-catching corps.
Ladd McConkey battled calf, biceps, foot, and ankle injuries during a down 2025, but he’s only 24 and just one year removed from a rookie season with 82 catches, 1,149 yards, and 2.38 yards per route run. Quentin Johnston remains volatile, but his six games of 70+ yards, team-high 8 receiving TDs, and fifth-year option pickup show the Chargers still believe in him.
Tre Harris brings potential for a Year 2 jump, despite only 324 yards as a rookie. He supplies good size (6’2, 205), high-level athleticism (9.18 Relative Athletic Score), and strong college efficiency (3.00 yards per route run). Round 4 rookie Brenen Thompson adds 4.26 speed and a deep threat (18.6 career yards per catch in college).
The Chargers also return TE Oronde Gadsden II, who went from a Round 5 rookie to finishing fourth on the team in catches, yards, and receiving TDs. David Njoku arrives as a veteran complement, but he missed 11 games over the past two seasons and got outplayed by Round 3 rookie Harold Fannin Jr. with Cleveland in 2025.
Charlie Kolar also joins the TE room after serving as a depth piece behind Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely in Baltimore. He should help as a blocker, with some untapped receiving ability still in play.
The O-line should improve if Slater (patellar) and Alt (ankle) stay healthy. L.A. also upgraded at C with Tyler Biadasz, who ranked 15th among 37 centers in PFF run-blocking grade last season, well ahead of retired 2025 starter Bradley Bozeman.
The guard spots are less settled, with Cole Strange, Trevor Penning, and rookie Round 2 pick Jake Slaughter battling for two spots.
Mike McDaniel enters an OC role after acting as Miami’s HC over the past four seasons.
His Miami track record doesn’t suggest a major shift from Herbert’s two years under Greg Roman:
McDaniel in Miami
| Plays | Pace | Pass Rate | Neutral Pass Rate | Pass Rate Over Expected | |
| 2022 | 59.3 | 20th | 61.4% | 59.3% | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 61.9 | 27th | 56.7% | 61.3% | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 63.6 | 29th | 58.6% | 55.5% | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 55.8 | 31st | 54.5% | 54.0% | -4.2% |
Roman in Los Angeles
| Plays | Pace | Pass Rate | Neutral Pass Rate | Pass Rate Over Expected | |
| 2024 | 59.8 | 32nd | 54.5% | 56.3% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 64.4 | 27th | 57.4% | 56.3% | +3.4% |
McDaniel’s offenses peaked with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa in 2023 and 2024. Miami finished fourth in passing yards and TDs in 2023, then climbed to first in yards and fourth in TDs in 2024. McDaniel coaxing that type of production from a QB less talented than Herbert strengthens Herbert’s 2026 case.
The quick game will be worth watching. McDaniel has stressed getting the ball out of Herbert’s hands in under 2.4 seconds to offset the pass rush, which fits his Miami track record with Tua. Per TruMedia, he averaged 7.8 yards per attempt on throws under 2.4 seconds in McDaniel’s offense, ranking second among qualifiers.
Herbert’s setup looks stronger this time, with a deeper group of weapons, an OC who helped a lesser QB reach QB1 territory, and an O-line that should rebound if it stays healthy.
The biggest concern is still the O-line. Herbert has missed just five games since 2021, but he’s absorbed too many hits while playing through various injuries. If the Chargers can’t keep the O-line intact, Herbert’s weekly floor could remain frustrating.
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Justin Herbert 'Finding His Rhythm' in New Offense
Justin Herbert 'Finding His Rhythm' in New Offense
Chargers beat writer Daniel Popper writes that QB Justin Herbert is "finding his rhythm" in new OC Mike McDaniel's offense.
Chargers Make It Official With OC Mike McDaniel
Chargers Make It Official With OC Mike McDaniel
Former Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel has officially joined the Los Angeles Chargers as the team's new OC. McDaniel was previously linked to L.A. but was still entertaining potential HC openings. We expected this deal to be finalzied after McDaniel withdrew his name from Cleveland's HC search and canceled an interview with the Bills last Friday. McDaniel's hiring looks promising for a Chargers' offense that is stacked with young talent but was ravaged by injuries in 2025.
Chargers Looking For New OC
Chargers Looking For New OC
The Chargers fired OC Greg Roman. The offense was disappointing this season, but an injury-wrecked offensive line was a much bigger culprit than Roman's scheme or play-calling. The Chargers lost LT Rashawn Slater to a season-ending torn patellar tendon in August and then watched RT Joe Alt go down with his own season-ending ankle injury in Week 9. Los Angeles finished bottom two in Pro Football Focus' run- and pass-blocking grades and ESPN's run- and pass-blocking win rates. QB Justin Herbert was pressured on a league-high 43.6% of his dropbacks. We'll see who the Chargers tab to replace Roman. But the offensive line should be much better in 2026 with better health. With Herbert, plus RB Omarion Hampton, WRs Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre Harris, and TE Oronde Gadsden, this is a prime bounce-back offense to target in fantasy drafts.
Chargers Resting Justin Herbert for Week 18
Chargers Resting Justin Herbert for Week 18
Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh announced Monday that QB Justin Herbert won't play in Sunday's regular-season finale against the Broncos. The Chargers sit tied with Houston and Buffalo at 11-5, so there's some potential mobility to their seed with Week 18 results. But Harbaugh has clearly decided that getting Herbert -- and potentially others -- healthier for the playoffs matters more than the difference between the No. 5 and No. 7 seeds.
Cowboys Bring Chargers Passing Game Back to Life
Cowboys Bring Chargers Passing Game Back to Life
Chargers QB Justin Herbert delivered a big game against Dallas' generous defense on Sunday. Herbert went 23-of-29 passing for 300 yards and 2 TDs. He added 42 yards on eight carries. That included a 1-yard TD plunge late in the second quarter and a 34-yard scramble early in the fourth. Herbert found WR Quentin Johnston from 23 yards out in the first quarter and WR Ladd McConkey from 25 in the second for his TD tosses.
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