Who Should I Start? Justin Herbert or J.J. McCarthy

Thursday, March 19, 10:41 AM

Thankfully for fantasy managers, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert's playoff woes don't count. Herbert was named a Pro Bowler for the second time in his career in 2025, but he looked bad again in an ugly playoff loss to the New England Patriots. During the regular season, the 28-year-old completed 66.4% of his passes for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 16 games to finish as the QB10 in overall fantasy points. He added a career-high 83 rushing attempts for 498 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The fact that L.A.'s offensive line was so banged up and ineffective led to Herbert taking off and running more than he ever has in his career. It helped him stay in the top-12 overall fantasy QBs. With a healthier offensive line in 2026 and with new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel leading the offense, Herbert should be in better hands. He might even return to the 4,000-yard passing mark, which he hasn't reached since his third year in the league in 2022. Herbert's dynasty and redraft stock is on the rise, making him at least a low-end QB1 target in drafts later this year.