JustinHerbert

News: 1 day agoHerbert worked out in the weight room without a walking boot while the Chargers practiced Thursday, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.

Spin: Herbert was expected to require the walking boot for about two weeks as he tended to a plantar fascia injury, and he reached the two-week mark Thursday, so he's seemingly on course in his recovery. There's also an expectation that he'll be ready for a Week 1 matchup with the Raiders, meaning his next notable step will be getting back on the practice field in some capacity. While Herbert continues his rehab, the Chargers will entrust the offense in Easton Stick, a 2019 fifth-round pick with 175 passes in six games on his NFL resume.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: While Herbert is one of the league's most talented quarterbacks, he is saddled with starting for a Jim Harbaugh rebuild that's precariously thin on receiving talent. In the past three seasons, Herbert is third in passing yards per game (274.1), fourth among qualifiers in Total QBR (65.3) and he has averaged 19.1 fantasy points per game. That latter number placed eighth at the position, in large part because Herbert couldn't get things done behind a sputtering running game and with Mike Williams and Keenan Allen missing time due to injury in 2023. Allen and Williams are now elsewhere, and Harbaugh appears committed to a run-oriented offense. Herbert might struggle to deliver the fantasy goods, making him more of a matchup play for 2024.