Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or Justin Herbert

Wednesday, June 3, 11:30 AM

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said on Tuesday that new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has been overhauling his footwork in the offseason in an effort to speed up his release and get the ball out of his hand quicker, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. "Mechanically, it's a little different timing ... he wants the ball out early. We feel like that is going to help us get the ball out quicker," Herbert said. McDaniel said last month that the goal is for Herbert to "own the position," and McDaniel plans to maximize Herbert's success on passes with 2.4 seconds or less time to throw. Once plays extended into the intermediate timing window last year -- between roughly 2.4 and 3.5 seconds, Herbert's efficiency dipped. The move to get the ball out of Herbert's hand faster makes plenty of sense, as he was the league's most hit and pressured QB in 2025, spending most of his time scrambling to avoid pass-rushers behind an ineffective and banged-up offensive line. With Pro Bowl tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt returning from injury, Herbert should be better protected, but it may not matter if he's getting the ball out quicker. The Oregon product's fantasy stock is on the rise heading into the 2026 season, and he'll be a nice low-end QB1 target if you wait a bit on the position.