Justin Herbert vs Michael Penix: Who Should You Start?
Justin Herbert and Michael Penix are both viable fantasy quarterbacks heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Justin Herbert averaged 18.7 PPG across 16 games with the Los Angeles Chargers, while Michael Penix posted 13.7 PPG in 9 appearances for the Atlanta Falcons.
A 5.0-PPG gap gives Justin Herbert the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Justin Herbert offers meaningful rushing upside with 498 yards on the ground in 2025, which separates his floor from a pocket passer like Michael Penix (1982 passing yards, 9 touchdowns). In games where the passing matchup looks ugly, that rushing production can be the entire difference on a start/sit call.
Justin Herbert has his bye in Week 5, and Michael Penix rests in Week 12. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at quarterback for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
