Who Should I Start? Justin Herbert or Michael Penix Jr.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18.6 | 15.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Justin Herbert News
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.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.2 | 9.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Michael Penix Jr. News
Tuesday, March 10, 2:06 PM
The NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reports that when Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) recovers from his torn ACL, it will be an "open competition" at QB between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa. Both signal-callers have struggled to stay healthy -- Penix with three torn ACLs and Tagovailoa with multiple serious concussions -- but Tagovailoa has more experience and a Pro Bowl nod under his belt in his six years in the NFL. The former fifth overall pick out of Alabama led the league in passing yards in 2023, but has struggled the last two seasons and has failed to top the 3,000-yard mark. It's low risk for the Falcons since Tagovailoa will be on a veteran's minimum in 2026, and it gives the team a chance to push Penix once he's healthy and ready to go. The problem for Penix is that if he's not physically ready to play to begin the season and Tagovailoa looks good as the starter, he might not have a chance to win the job back. It will be an interesting battle to watch later this summer in an offense with plenty of weapons now being run by a bright offensive mind in Kevin Stefanski.
Justin Herbert vs. Michael Penix Jr.
Still trying to decide between Herbert and Penix Jr.? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Justin Herbert is projected to score 18.6 points this week while Michael Penix Jr. is projected to score 19.2 points.
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