Who Should I Start? Justin Herbert or Michael Penix Jr.

Monday, February 16, 11:25 AM

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert remained productive during the 2025 regular season, but his ceiling was limited due to poor offensive line play in front of him. The 27-year-old racked up 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions across 16 games, finishing as the overall QB10 in fantasy football. This was his first top-10 finish since 2021. He added an additional two rushing touchdowns and a career-high 498 rushing yards. Herbert played in front of a worse offensive line this past season. In fact, the Chargers' offensive line ranked third-to-last in PFF's end-of-year rankings. The trenches figure to be an area of focus for the Bolts in free agency, and improved protection would aid Herbert in his quest to make strides as a passer next year. Assuming the Chargers have a productive offseason, it's fair to envision that Herbert will be a top-10 fantasy quarterback with top-five upside in 2026. He's a "hold" in most dynasty leagues at the moment.

Friday, February 20, 6:18 AM

Atlanta Falcons president of football Matt Ryan and new general manager Ian Cunningham are non-committal on whether quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) will be the guaranteed starter when he returns from the torn left ACL he suffered last November, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. "I've been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael's been in there attacking that, and he's in a good space right now, so we're excited about where he is. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster," Ryan said. The previous front office and coaching staff were adamant that Penix was their guy. But after a serious knee injury and poor results in 2025 prior to his injury, the new front office is taking more of a wait-and-see approach. The 25-year-old says he expects to be ready for Week 1 and is eager to prove he's the guy, but time will tell if Atlanta brings in serious competition for him via a trade, free agency, or the draft. Questions about Penix's durability have significantly lowered his dynasty stock.