Chargers Week 1 Fantasy Football Outlook: Are Justin Herbert and Omarion Hampton Worth Starting Against Chiefs?

After taking a look at the top fantasy options for the Kansas City Chiefs for a Friday night primetime game, let's do the same for the Los Angeles Chargers, the other team appearing in that contest.

We'll do the same for more standalone games this season, so keep checking back all season!

Having trouble deciding who to start in week 1? Let the FantasySP start/sit tool help you make a decision.

Justin Herbert Fantasy Outlook

Herbert has an average matchup against the Chiefs in week 1. 

He was good in his first season under a new coaching staff in LA, and is hoping to build on that. A win in this game would be massive for the Chargers.

Herbert had 3,870 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and just three interceptions across 17 games last season. He added 306 yards and two scores on 69 rushing attempts.

In one contest against KC last year, Herbert had 213 passing yards, a score and no picks, while throwing for 179 yards, a score and no interceptions in the other contest. He rushed for 12 yards across seven rushing attempts in the two games combined.

In the so-so matchup, Herbert is projected for 16 fantasy points. I have him as the No. 17 QB for week 1.

He's a better starting option in deeper leagues, and should definitely be starting if your league starts two QBs.

Running Back Fantasy Outlook

Omarion Hampton was the team's first-round pick this offseason, and he's expected to lead the backfield in 2025. 

He's projected for 14 PPR points in week 1, and there's no other LA backs on the list. Hampton is No. 18 in my week 1 rankings.

While he should lead the backfield, I also see Najee Harris factoring in plenty. He looks like he's ready to go after sustaining an eye injury (from fireworks) during the preseason.

I don't think the Chargers brought in the veteran just for him to sit the bench. I expect him to factor into the offense a good bit, even if Hampton takes the lead role.

It will be interesting to see how much of the workload the No. 22 pick this offseason gets right away. Will he easily lead the way, or will it be more of an even split?

Harris has split the workload over his career in Pittsburgh. He has at least 1,200 total yards and six scores in every season, so I expect LA to utilize him in some fashion.

If not for Harris being around, Hampton would be projected for more points, and rank higher on my week 1 rankings.

It's about as difficult a test as a running back can have when it comes to facing the Chiefs, so that also works against Hampton and Harris this week. 

I still believe in the dynamic rookie, and would be comfortable enough to start him in just about every fantasy setup. The deeper the league, the better an option he becomes.

I think Harris will be a starting option here and there this season, but in this brutal matchup, I'd only consider starting him in the deepest of leagues. I'd do what I could to avoid him though.

Wide Receiver Fantasy Outlook

The test for the Los Angeles wideouts is a bit more average. Ladd McConkey figures to lead that group this season, and is projected for 16 PPR points in week 1.

Keenan Allen (nine PPR points) and Tre' Harris (four PPR points) also are on the projection list. McConkey is the only Charger wideout to crack my top 30, ranking 15th. 

I also expect Quentin Johnston to factor in plenty for the wideouts in week 1. Rookie Keandre Lambert-Smith and Derius Davis are a couple more options.

McConkey had a nice rookie season, going for 1,149 yards and seven scores on 82 receptions and 112 targets. He only played in one game against KC, but he made it count, tallying 67 yards and a score on five receptions and seven targets.

I have high hopes for McConkey this season, and in a so-so matchup, I'm good starting him in all formats this week. We'll see just how many targets and how much of the production he sucks up to kick off the season.

Allen is back in LA after a one-year stint in Chicago. He had 744 yards and seven touchdowns on 70 grabs and 121 targets across 15 games.

He has starred for LA in the past, but is past his prime and is a better No. 2 option at this point of his career. He gets to do that behind McConkey, and as long as he stays healthy and holds off some younger wideouts, Allen could be a sneaky good fantasy asset at times this season.

Allen has deep-league fantasy value for week 1, but is probably a better flex guy than a locked-in starter at receiver. I'd like to see that he still has it before trusting him fully.

Harris was a second-round pick of the team this offseason, so there's some hype surrounding him. In time, he could take on a larger role, but to start the season, it's unclear just how much he'll play or be involved.

While he's a deep-league option, I'm not ready to start him outside super deep setups yet. He's one to keep an eye on for sure though.

Johnston's struggles over his first two seasons are part of the reason why Harris and Lambert-Smith were drafted, and that Allen was brought back.

Johnston went for 717 yards and eight scores over 55 catches and 91 targets last season in 15 games. He had a nine-yard catch across five targets in one game against KC last season, then went for 48 yards and a touchdown on five catches and seven targets in the other.

He's another deep-league option, but isn't someone to trust right now. Only start him in the deepest of leagues, then hope he plays more than expected, or finds the end zone.

Tight End Fantasy Outlook

Los Angeles didn't really address the tight end position this offseason, so Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin form a pretty uninspiring 1-2 punch there. Rookie Oronde Gadsden looks to be a long-term project, not an instant contributor.

Neither Dissly or Conklin are on the FSP projection page for tight ends. Neither crack my top-30 tight end ranking story either.

Dissly played in 15 games last season, racking up 481 yards and two scores on 50 catches and 64 targets. With more pass catchers around this season, I don't see Dissly even doing that much.

Adding Conklin to the mix also complicates things. He had 449 yards and four scores over 51 grabs and 72 targets in 16 games in 2024.

Conklin and Dissly are both just deep-league assets, and not worth a start in week 1. It's unfortunate, because it's a pretty favorable matchup based on last year's numbers.

If I had to take a tight end between the two, I'd try Dissly, just because he's familiar with this offense from past seasons. Don't expect a ton though.

Kicker Fantasy Outlook

Cameron Dicker is the kicker, and he's projected for eight fantasy points in week 1. He's one of the better fantasy kickers around.

He was 39-of-42 on his field goals last season, while going 33-of-36 on his extra points.

Dicker made one field goal and missed another in one game against KC last season. He made his only extra point try in that one. Dicker made two extra points and his only field goal in the other contest.

I like Dicker as a fantasy kicking option in week 1 this season. You should expect above-average results from him.

Defense/Special Teams Fantasy Outlook

The Chargers' D/ST has the tough test of slowing the Chiefs' offense to kick off the season. The Chiefs are down Rashee Rice and Jalen Royals, and LA's defense was good last season, so it's not a crazy thought to want to start them.

In the first game against KC last year, the Chiefs won 17-10. KC had 329 total yards, two turnovers and got sacked three times. In game two, the Chiefs won 19-17. KC had 298 yards, no turnovers and was sacked three more times in that one.

LA's D/ST is projected for seven fantasy points in week 1. I think that's a fair projection.

They were good last season and should be pretty solid again in 2025. They aren't a must-start unit in this matchup, but they are a better option than the own/start percentages suggest.