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NFL - The Athletic fantasy football takes on Justin Herbert
Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from NFL - The Athletic about Justin Herbert.
7
Insights
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Positive
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Negative
Insight ledger
All NFL - The Athletic insights about Justin Herbert
NegativeRoleAug 4, 2026
Herbert rushed for a career-high 498 yards last season, second to Allen among quarterbacks, due to line injuries. An opposing coach noted: "He looks exactly where he is supposed to look, he does exactly what he is supposed to do, but when it breaks down, he is big and strong enough to run your ass over." Losing both starting tackles last year was a major issue, but coordinator change from Greg Roman to Mike McDaniel is expected to alter his offensive philosophy and performance.PositiveRoleAug 4, 2026
An opposing coach noted that Herbert looks exactly where he is supposed to look and does exactly what he is supposed to do, but when it breaks down, he is big and strong enough to run over defenders, demonstrating his physical tools can overcome scheme breakdowns.PositiveProjectionAug 4, 2026
An executive noted that losing both starting tackles last year was a huge issue for Herbert and said it will be really interesting to see how he plays with the coordinator change from Greg Roman to Mike McDaniel, a completely different energy and offensive philosophy. With the line hurting, Herbert rushed for a career-high 498 yards last season, second to Josh Allen among quarterbacks.PositiveValueAug 4, 2026
Six of the eight GMs polled placed Herbert in the top tier, while only 13 of the other 42 voters had Herbert that high. Among coaches, those with offensive backgrounds liked Herbert more than coaches with defensive backgrounds did, pointing to a gap between Herbert's obvious physical talent and his disappointing on-field results.NegativeProjectionAug 4, 2026
A defensive coordinator questioned Herbert's elite status despite his obvious talent, asking how long he has been in the league and noting that the Chargers have never won a playoff game. The coordinator expressed frustration that if Herbert is the guy, at some point the team should have had more accolades, despite sniffing around enough.NegativeProjectionAug 4, 2026
Herbert has had either poor defense/special teams support, a weak offensive line, or underwhelming weaponry throughout his Chargers career. A defensive coach noted that Herbert has taken so many hits that it is impacting his reads, and he is playing with quick feet at times when he gets hit early, which he wasn't doing as a younger guy.NegativeProjectionNo date
Herbert is 28 years old entering his seventh season with a 0-3 playoff record across three postseason appearances, including back-to-back losses under Harbaugh. He played two of the worst games of his career in those playoff losses at Houston (2024) and New England (2025). The Chargers' entire offseason has been geared toward getting Herbert his first playoff win, with the team bringing in Mike McDaniel to simplify the offense through more layup throws, explosive quick-game plays, and a stronger run game to reduce reliance on Herbert playing at superhero level in big moments.