Fantasy Alert: Justin Herbert Has Made 'Ridiculous Throws' in Jim Harbaugh's System | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
The early returns for Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in Jim Harbaugh's offense have been very high for fantasy managers keeping an eye on things right now.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler explained on SportsCenter that Herbert has made some "ridiculous throws" so far in OTAs and mandatory minicamp in his first exposure to the system being implemented by Harbaugh:
"The vibes are immense. The vibes are hot, the streets are hot. The Chargers are implementing that run-heavy Harbaugh system, which is a little bit different for Justin Herbert. I'm told that transition has been seamless but to a point because they've stuck with mostly passing concepts this spring. In training camp, they're going to hit that run-heavy, play-action stuff early. But I was told that he's made several 'ridiculous' throws already and that somebody from the team told me that he can fit into any scheme, it doesn't matter, he's that kind of quarterback. So, he will be just fine."
The Chargers quarterback has earned rave reviews from his new head coach throughout the offseason. Harbaugh said Herbert "crushed" the conditioning test at minicamp earlier this week.
Bridget Condon @BridgetCondon_Jim Harbaugh says Justin Herbert "crushed" the conditioning test last week<br><br>"The conditioning test was another eye opener... He smashed the conditioning test last Thursday. I mean, crushed it like out in front of people trying to keep up with to the point I mean, the athleticism…
The love is being reciprocated from Herbert, who called it an "honor" to play for Harbaugh.
"He's done such a great job taking this team and getting them to where he wants them to go," Herbert told reporters on Thursday. "He's won wherever he's at. He's a guy that everyone wants to follow and play for."
Harbaugh and new Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman are known for favoring a strong running game, but the efficiency of Roman's passing game in his previous stops with the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens is an encouraging sign for Herbert.
MIBPJ @mibpj2Noting a growing disconnect between how people are talking about Greg Roman's pass offenses and the actual results.<br><br>The raw number of passes is a factor, but outside our most recent memory of him, the passing offense efficiency had a pretty high floor <a href="">
It's not a surprise to hear that Herbert is making high-level throws. He's been doing that since entering the NFL in 2020.
NFL @NFLJustin Herbert how?!?!<br><br>This pass was ridiculous 😱<br><br>📺: <a href="">#LACvsSF</a> on NBC<br>📱: Stream on NFL+ <a href="">
Los Angeles Chargers @chargers93 throw power???? <br><br>can we get a ratings adjustor out here, <a href="">@eamaddennfl</a>? <a href="">
One thing the Harbaugh-Roman system can do is ease some of the burden on Herbert. He and Patrick Mahomes are the only quarterbacks in the NFL with more than 2,400 pass attempts since 2020.
Herbert's 39.06 attempts per game during that span ranks third, behind only Tom Brady (41.2) and Ben Roethlisberger (39.13).
Since Herbert's rookie season, the Chargers have been one of the worst rushing teams in the NFL.
Steven Haglund @StevenIHaglundSince 2020 the Chargers offense ranks 31st in EPA/rush and 28th in rushing success rate. I'd settle for seeing Justin Herbert with an average to above average run game tbh.
If the Chargers can marry Herbert's ability to make those elite-level throws with an offensive system that offers him more support with an efficient rushing attack, he could be an even better player than he has been already.
Herbert has thrown for 17,223 yards, 114 touchdowns and completed 66.6 percent of his attempts in 62 career starts.
The Chargers finished last in the AFC West with a 5-12 record in 2023. They were coming off back-to-back winning seasons, including a playoff appearance in 2022.
While it's still early to be fully immersed in fantasy draft preparation for the upcoming season, Herbert could be a great sleeper option right now.
Per FantasyPros, Herbert is currently the 13th coming off the board with an ADP of 95.5. There will be questions about the quality of his pass-catchers after releasing Mike Williams and trading Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears.
Rookie Ladd McConkey figures to get a lot of attention from Herbert. The Chargers will also be hoping for significant improvement from 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston.
If either or both of those wide receivers proves to be reliable in 2024, it will only help Herbert as he looks to get back on track coming off an injury-plagued season.
