Chargers Fantasy Football Preview: Can Justin Herbert Turn any of the Team's Offensive Playmakers into Starting Options?

Breaking down the Los Angeles Chargers best fantasy football players for the upcoming season.

It’s time for yet another NFL team fantasy football preview.

Check back soon for more team previews. Of course, things will change between now and the start of the season, and FantasySP will cover any major changes when those happen.

Here’s all the team previews we’ve already covered:

AFC: Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals

NFC: San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings

Let’s talk about the Las Angeles Chargers now.

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Justin Herbert Fantasy Outlook

Herbert is back to lead the Chargers again in 2024, but he’s got a very different looking offense around him. Herbert is also dealing with an injury already, but is back at practice now.

Herbert was limited to 13 games a season ago. He completed 297 of his 456 passes for 3,134 yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions. After throwing for 69 touchdowns in his first two seasons, Herbert has just 45 in the two years since.

He usually adds a rushing element, but he might not this year with his plantar fascia injury. He had 228 yards and three touchdowns on 52 rushing attempts a season ago. 

With the injury and lack of proven playmakers around him, Herbert is QB16 and going around pick 121.

I view Herbert as really undervalued right now and think he’s a great value pick near his ADP. I don’t care who he has next to him, he’s got the chance for multiple touchdowns and 200-plus passing yards every game, which is better than a lot of quarterbacks can say. He’s a fantastic fantasy QB2, and could be a major draft steal by the end of the season.

Running Back Fantasy Outlooks

Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins are the new lead backs in LA. Jaret Patterson and rookie Kimani Vidal are backup options.

Edwards joins the Chargers after spending the first five years of his NFL career with Baltimore. In 17 games last season, Edwards made nine starts and rushed for 810 yards and 13 touchdowns on 198 attempts. He caught 12 of his 13 targets for 180 yards and no scores.

Dobbins was with the Ravens his entire NFL career so far. He only played in one game last season before going down with an injury. Dobbins has played in 24 games over three seasons and four years, and 15 of those came in his first season in 2020.

Patterson last appeared in an NFL game in 2022 with Washington. He has just 344 yards and two scores on 85 attempts across two seasons he played in.

Vidal was a sixth-round pick in the most recent draft. In four collegiate seasons with Troy, Vidal had 3,858 rushing yards and 32 scores. He had 225 receiving yards or less in each season.

Edwards and Dobbins are the clear leaders in the RB room and are the first two backs off draft boards. Edwards is RB38 and going around pick 109, while Dobbins is RB42 and going around pick 123.

Near those ADPs, there’s less risk involved, so I don’t mind taking a chance on either Charger back. I think Edwards is the one to target and who will be the better fantasy option this season. If he can serve as the goal-line back, his touchdown potential might be enough to start him in the flex spot. Dobbins is talented, but his injury history scares me - he’s still worth a draft pick around his ADP and could be another flex option if the Chargers go to a more run-oriented offense.

Vidal is the backup RB to consider in deep leagues and dynasties. He’s RB52 and going around pick 169 right now. I wouldn’t take him in a standard league unless one of the top two guys got injured between now and the start of the season. Vidal will likely have a small role at times this season, but it probably won’t be enough to ever start him.

Patterson can be avoided in all league types.

Wide Receiver Fantasy Outlooks

Joshua Palmer, D.J. Chark and rookie Ladd McConkey form a mostly new wideout starting trio. Rookies Brenden Rice and Cornelius Johnson and Derius Davis and Quentin Johnston are some other backup options right now.

Palmer has done some solid things in his three NFL seasons. He only played in 10 games last season, finishing with 581 yards and two scores on 38 catches and 61 targets.

Johnston looked like a draft bust in his rookie season after being the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He had 432 yards and two scores on 38 receptions and 67 targets in 17 games.

Davis appeared in 17 games as well. He had 15 catches on 17 targets, but for just 66 yards and no touchdowns. He added 101 rushing yards on 14 attempts.

Chark comes to LA, where he will be on his fourth team in as many seasons. In 15 games with the Panthers in 2023, Chark had 35 catches on 66 targets for 525 yards and five touchdowns.

McConkey was a second-round pick of the team in the offseason. He had three so-so seasons at Georgia, but did score 15 total touchdowns in three seasons.

Rice was a seventh-round draft pick. He’s the son of NFL legend Jerry Rice and played four collegiate seasons between Colorado and USC. His best season came at USC in 2023, when he went for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Johnson was another seventh-round pick. In his five seasons at Michigan, he never went over 610 receiving yards, but did score 14 touchdowns.

McConkey is the top-drafted Charger receiver. He’s WR41 and going around pick 94.

It’s hard to trust a rookie to lead a team in receiving, but fantasy owners are opting for his upside over the more proven Palmer. I’m not as high on McConkey, and would only consider him if he fell another round or so. 

Palmer is WR57 and going around pick 141. He’s worth a pick late in standard league drafts, because he’ll be a start/sit option quite often to begin the season. With his history with Herbert, I’m fine taking him with one of my last picks.

Everyone else is a deep league draft option, but it’s hard to really trust any of them. Johnston is the next off draft boards - I haven’t given up on him yet, but he’s a depth option instead of a starting possibility to begin the season.

Rice, Johnson and Chark could all become deep league roster options, but I’m not sure how dependable they will be from week to week. It’s probably best to try to avoid the entire Chargers’ receiver room this season. I could see a very balanced output, and if that happens, it’ll be a frustrating group to deal with and assess.

Tight End Fantasy Outlooks

Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst are the top Chargers’ tight ends going into the season. None of the team’s options are good fantasy options though.

Hurst was with the Panthers last season. In nine games, he had 18 catches for 184 yards and a touchdown on 32 targets.

Dissly spent the first six years of his career with the Seahawks. He played in 16 games last season, tallying 172 yards and a touchdown on 17 grabs and 22 targets.

Neither starting option ranks in the top 300 in the fantasy TE ADP list. I don’t even look to them as deep league fantasy draft options, but instead just waiver wire guys if they happen to carve out a decent role. 

This could be a really rough season for the Chargers if they can’t run the ball or Herbert is playing at less than 100%.

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