The Worksheet, a fantasy football overview by Rich Hribar, breaking down everything you need to know for the Week 8 New England Patriots at Los Angeles Chargers Sunday afternoon game.

New EnglandRank@LA ChargersRank
5.5Spread-5.5
21.5Implied Total27
25.611Points/Gm24.713
206Points All./Gm2522
62.319Plays/Gm66.211
6522Opp. Plays/Gm62.816
5.718Off. Yards/Play5.716
5.411Def. Yards/Play5.821
38.53%20Rush%35.01%28
61.47%13Pass%64.99%5
42.64%20Opp. Rush %47.48%29
57.36%13Opp. Pass %52.52%4
  • Games involving the Chargers have gone over the game total just once (16.7%), ahead of only the Bears (14.3%).
  • The Chargers are averaging 67.8 fewer rushing yards per game than their opponent, the largest differential in the league.
  • 44.6% of the yardage allowed by the Chargers has come via rushing, the highest rate in the league.
  • 48.6% of the rushing attempts against the Chargers have gained five or more yards, the highest rate in the league. The league average is 35.8%.
  • The Patriots are averaging a gain of 20 or more yards once every 11.5 offensive plays, which leads the league.

Trust = spike production for that player
Bust = down-week production for that player’s standards

Quarterback

Justin Herbert: Herbert hit the bye week coming off his worst start of the year, completing 56.4% of his passes for 5.0 yards per pass attempt against the Ravens. Herbert was 6-of-13 for 4.5 Y/A against the blitz in the game and now is 36-of-61 (59.0%) for 6.8 Y/A against the blitz on the season.

Opposing teams have blitzed Herbert on just 23.7% of his dropbacks (21st), but the Ravens came after him on 33.3% of his dropbacks in Week 6. We will see if other teams get adventurous in sending extra defenders at Herbert to test the start of his season, but when these teams played a year ago, New England only blitzed Herbert on 8.9% of his dropbacks, which was a league-low for that week in the season. It didn’t matter as Herbert was 26-of-53 passing for 209 yards and two interceptions in that game. Different offense and personnel on both sides here, but food for thought.  

The Patriot defense has been very Jekyll and Hyde against the pass of late. Prior to nuking the Jets’ passing attack for a second time, they had allowed 445 yards to Dak Prescott in Week 6 and 10.8 yards per pass attempt to Davis Mills in Week 5. Prior to getting smoked by both of those options, they held Tom Brady to a 51.2% completion rate with zero touchdowns. 

I don’t know what to make of the New England pass defense at this stage, but I do have a good idea that Herbert is one of the better quarterbacks in the league for fantasy as is still a QB1 option here at home coming out of the bye with hopes the offense has fixed some of the issues they had in Week 6.

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