If you never looked at Underdog Fantasy ADP, and I told you that you could draft QB Justin Herbert in Round 12, you would probably laugh. The fact is, it's true. Justin Herbert's current ADP on Underdog Fantasy is 132.
I understand the bear case is that he lost his top weapons in free agency and the offense will likely be more run-heavy under head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
But the fact remains that Herbert is still one of the elite young quarterbacks in this league. He's now paired with an elite offensive-minded coach and playcaller.
Even if they are more run-heavy in general, if they are more successful, it could open up more red zone scoring opportunities for Herbert.
They still have WR Josh Palmer and WR Quentin Johnston returning and added WR Ladd McConkey in the NFL Draft. I believe McConkey will ultimately be Herbert's WR1, but Palmer has stepped up when needed and could be a valuable asset to Herbert. I like to stack Herbert with one or both of these receivers. That stack is an incredible value.
Also, it's not like they have an elite defense, so the Chargers may have to throw more than they want. And there aren't many more quarterbacks than Herbert that I'd want on my fantasy team when needing to score to keep up with an opposing offense. Herbert and the offense could be forced into some shootouts, and help his fantasy production.
The bottom line is I think the fantasy community is overblowing the Chargers' run-heavy offense and the discount on Justin Herbert feels like stealing. Herbert is being drafted as QB17 and I truly project him to be a top-10 fantasy quarterback this season. I think we'll look back and laugh at his Round 12 draft stock. So take advantage and buy Herbert in Best Ball drafts.
See the rest of 2024 Best Ball top 250 rankings on SportsLine.
