The Worksheet, a fantasy football overview by Rich Hribar, breaking down everything you need to know for the Week 4 Los Angles Chargers at Houston Texans Sunday afternoon game.
| LA Chargers | Rank | @ | Houston | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -5 | Spread | 5 | ||
| 24 | Implied Total | 19 | ||
| 19.3 | 16 | Points/Gm | 16.3 | 26 |
| 28 | 29 | Points All./Gm | 19.7 | 12 |
| 65.7 | 12 | Plays/Gm | 61.3 | 19 |
| 61.7 | 11 | Opp. Plays/Gm | 72.3 | 31 |
| 5.4 | 14 | Off. Yards/Play | 4.7 | 31 |
| 5.7 | 21 | Def. Yards/Play | 5.7 | 20 |
| 34.01% | 25 | Rush% | 38.04% | 18 |
| 65.99% | 8 | Pass% | 61.96% | 15 |
| 36.22% | 11 | Opp. Rush % | 50.23% | 29 |
| 63.78% | 22 | Opp. Pass % | 49.77% | 4 |
- 30.3% of the Chargers’ drives have gone three and out with a punt, ahead of only the Bears (31.3%) and Steelers (32.4%).
- Houston has converted 25.0% (10-of-40) of their third downs, the lowest rate in the league.
- The Chargers are averaging 2.8 yards per first down rushing play, the fewest in the league.
- Los Angeles has just one run of 10 or more yards, with a long run of 12 yards.
- Houston has allowed a league-high 316 yards on explosive carries this season, allowing a league-high 5.7 explosive carries per game.
Quarterback
Justin Herbert: Playing through a rib injury, Herbert was ineffective on Sunday, posting his lowest completion rate (55.6%) and yards per pass attempt (6.6 Y/A) of the early season.
Herbert was pressured on 42.6% of his dropbacks (fifth highest of Week 3) while the Chargers were without center Corey Linsley and then lost left tackle Rashawn Slater to a season-ending biceps injury after 33 snaps.
Playing down two starting offensive linemen, without Keenan Allen, and dealing with the rib injury was too much to overcome.
Slater is lost for the season, but the team is hoping to get Linsley back this week. Allen is set to return after missing the past two weeks while Herbert himself should only improve in his own recovery.
Herbert and the Chargers are also getting a lot of the same treatment we have seen the Bengals get, and the Chargers do not have nearly the amount of viable vertical pass catchers that Cincinnati has.
Herbert has faced Cover-2 on 26.9% of his dropbacks (second behind Joe Burrow) and Cover-4 on 16.2% (sixth). Against those two coverages, Herbert has an average depth of target of just 4.4 yards downfield with 6.1 yards per attempt.
Herbert has an average depth of target of 11.0 yards downfield when he does get man coverage, but that has been on just 24.6% of his attempts (18th). Houston has played Cover-2 on 19.4% of passing plays (11th) and Cover-4 on 10.2% (19th). Where they have lived is in Cover-3, 38.0% of passing plays (fourth). When Herbert has seen Cover-3, he has gone 16-of-24 for 8.0 Y/A.
The Texans are 21st in pressure rate (21.6%) and blitz 22.2% of the time (21st) so this offensive line should be able to hold up enough in this matchup. Houston is allowing 6.9 Y/A (14th) and just 0.28 passing points per attempt (fifth), but also have faced the Colts, Broncos, and Bears to open the year, three offenses struggling to throw the ball against everyone they have faced.
Herbert was the QB5 and QB9 prior to last week, so I am not pushing the panic button here. The offensive line absences are a concern that can prevent a ceiling week, but I would expect Herbert to be much better this weekend as a QB1 option.
