JustinHerbert

News: 13 hours agoHerbert suffered a fractured middle finger on his left, non-throwing hand in Sunday's 24-17 win over the Raiders but isn't expected to miss any time, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Spin: The fourth-year QB's left hand got caught on the helmet of a Raiders player when he threw an interception late in the third quarter. Herbert returned for the Chargers' next possession and ended up playing all 63 offensive snaps in the contest, finishing with 167 passing yards and 27 rushing yards while accounting for three total touchdowns. With a well-timed bye on tap Week 5, Herbert will have plenty of time to recover before the Chargers return to action Monday, Oct. 16 versus the Cowboys.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Herbert is entering his fourth NFL season after an odd 2022 campaign in which he finished second in pass attempts, completions and yards for the second consecutive season but saw his fantasy finish tumble from second to 11th. The culprits were a big drop in pass TDs (from 38 to 25) and rushing output (from 302 yards and three TDs to 147 yards and zero TDs). The latter (or perhaps both) may have been related to rib and labrum injuries, so a rebound in 2023 is certainly a possibility. That's especially the case with a new playcaller in Kellen Moore and with a good supporting cast led by Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler. Herbert, who ranked fifth with eight top-10 fantasy outings last season, remains a solid fantasy starter with upside.