JustinHerbert

News: 17 hours agoHerbert (foot) wasn't listed on Wednesday's injury report.

Spin: A few weeks of rest seem to have allowed Herbert to move past his plantar fascia injury. The quarterback returning to practice Aug. 19, and now that he's participating without limitations, he'll be ready to direct the offense Sunday versus the Raiders. The fact he isn't even listed on the injury report suggests Herbert will have his usual mobility Sunday in his first game under new head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Wideout DJ Chark (hip) is the only significant injury concern for the Chargers offense, and even he may be more of an ancillary piece than a regular starter.

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.