• Start Justin Herbert: The league’s hottest quarterback in the past month is in his most advantageous matchup in recent weeks.
• Sit Nick Chubb: The all-time great running back has not played as well as before his injury, and that’s unlikely to change this week.
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Estimated Reading Time: 13 minutes
Deciding who to start or sit in fantasy football can be as simple as checking PFF's rankings and choosing the higher-ranked player. This start-sit column goes a step further, examining why a typical starter might struggle in a given week or why an overlooked player could perform well. While usual starters often remain the best choices, we also focus on those borderline players worth considering.
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QUARTERBACKS
START
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
After a slow start to the season, Herbert has entered the MVP conversation. His 85.6 PFF overall grade this season ranks fourth among quarterbacks with at least 500 snaps. He’s received at least a 74.0 PFF overall grade in each of the past five games after earning sub-63.0 marks in his first five. That has translated to fantasy success, including a top-10 finish in three of his past four games.
The Chargers face the Baltimore Ravens, who have given up the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year. Teams are throwing more against Baltimore than any others, both because of game scripts and the Ravens' strong run defense. The quality of the Ravens' pass defense also hasn’t been as strong as in past years. They’ve allowed 7.7 yards per attempt, and their team coverage grade is below the league average.
This is the perfect storm for Herbert to not just finish in the top 10, but to also post his first top-five fantasy finish of the season.
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