While fantasy football players' patience may be wearing thin, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert sounded totally at peace with wide receiver Quentin Johnston's first eight games in a Chargers uniform.
“The more reps we get together, the more time that we get, the more we're going to feel comfortable with each other and the more he's going to get the ball,” the QB told the media, courtesy of The Athletic's Daniel Popper.
Reiterating his faith in the 2023 first-round draft pick, Herbert emphasized the Chargers as a team “know how talented he is. It's just a matter of time.”
Despite his lofty expectations as the 2023 draft's 21st overall selection, Johnston hasn't made much of an impact so far.
Of the eight games he's played for the Chargers, Johnston has attracted three or fewer targets in seven of them. In those seven games, Johnston has not caught more than two passes in a game or eclipsed the 20-yard mark. He's also got zero touchdowns so far in his NFL career.
Missed opportunity
Drafted with the expectation that he would be fighting for WR3 reps behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, Johnston seemed to have his shot when Williams went down for the season with a torn ACL in Week 3.
But Johnston has failed to seize on the opportunity. He has just nine receptions for 102 yards in the five games since Williams went down. For reference, in his final game of the season, Williams had seven catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.
It briefly appeared as if a breakout was in fact coming. Facing the Chicago Bears in Week 8, Johnston had his best game as a member of the Chargers, catching five balls on six targets for 50 yards.
But he was quieted on Monday Night Football by the New York Jets' secondary the following game, catching two passes for 14 yards and adding a two-yard carry.
Despite the slow start, Herbert is not pounding the panic button just yet. He still believes in Johnston and his talent, even if you put him on waivers in your fantasy league weeks ago.
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