Behind the leadership of star quarterback Justin Herbert, the Los Angeles Chargers are better positioned to compete than they have been in a long time. Last season, the Chargers went 10-7, just their second 10-win season since 2009. The team's 2022 campaign ended in disappointment, with a blown 27-0 lead in the Wild Card round to the Jacksonville Jaguars. But what's in store for the Chargers this year with a healthy, reloaded roster and a new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore?

Here are four Chargers predictions for the 2023 NFL season:

 

4. Quentin Johnston wins Offensive ROTY

The Chargers picked Quentin Johnston out of TCU with the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The 6-3, 210 pound wideout shined in college with his top end speed and contested catch ability. He helped the Horned Frogs to a College Football Playoff and a National Championship appearance. Johnston projects to pose serious problems for opposing defenses by opening up the vertical passing game for the Chargers offense.

His skillset should pair nicely with Justin Herbert's massive arm, so Johnston won't be limited by quarterback play at all. He joins a stacked offense with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams at wide receiver, but he should win a lot of jump balls in the end zone and make big plays down the field.

Expect Quentin Johnston to rack up 1,000+ yards in 2023 and ultimately win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award over candidates like Bijan Robinson and Bryce Young.

 

3. Justin Herbert wins the NFL MVP

Justin Herbert enters the fourth season of his NFL career having already racked up some unbelievable regular season stats. He averages almost 4,700 passing yards and over 33 touchdowns per season so far.

Herbert will continue to be amazing, but there are a couple of factors at play that will help him reach new heights. One, his left tackle, Rashawn Slater, the No. 13 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, is back from a 2022 season-ending injury. Slater is one of the best tackles in the NFL, and his impact can't be overstated on a team like the Chargers that loves to throw the ball.

His old wide receivers, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, both project to be healthy again this season. Of course, Quentin Johnston joins this group as well. Then, there's Austin Ekeler, who's a great versatile running back. He will be the safety net for Herbert and will play a big role as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, particularly in the red zone this year. That will add to Herbert's touchdown totals and pad his case for MVP.

Finally, the Chargers signed former Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. This is the biggest reason Herbert will win the MVP in 2023. As great as Herbert has been individually, he hasn't had offensive coaching support from a guy like Moore.

Moore is one of the brightest young offensive minds in the NFL and brings a modern approach to the game plan. He schemed up the No. 1 scoring and total offense in the NFL with the Cowboys in 2021. Now, he has much more talent and a much better quarterback to maximize with the Chargers.

 

2. Chargers win the AFC West

Some combination of the first two predictions leads to this conclusion. The AFC West is a very competitive division, with the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs at the forefront. The Denver Broncos are a wild card. They underperformed last year, but they have a Hall of Fame coach and quarterback and a strong roster to work with. Underestimating Denver would be a dangerous mistake for divisional opponents. The Las Vegas Raiders have lower expectations than they did a year ago, but still might be tough to beat.

In any case, winning this division will mostly be a competition against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. However, this could be the year the Chargers break through. The offense is going to be as potent as any in the NFL. The Chiefs and maybe the Cincinnati Bengals are the only teams that boast the same combination of quarterback prowess, offensive weapons, and brilliant play calling that the Chargers bring to the table in 2023.

The Chargers aren't only improved on offense however. One of the big offseason moves L.A. made before the 2022 season was signing cornerback JC Jackson, who picked off 17 passes over the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the New England Patriots. He also missed most of last season with injuries.

The Chargers pass rush is studded with talent between Joey Bosa, a 4x Pro Bowler who played only five games in 2022, and Khalil Mack, a former Defensive Player of the Year. They also drafted Tuli Tuipulotu out of USC, who led college football in sacks in 2022.

 

1. Chargers win the AFC Title Game

All of the reasons the Chargers will win the AFC West culminate in the most important thing: a playoff appearance. The AFC is loaded, and it's impossible to predict who will be in the playoffs. However, the Chargers will be there, and the team to beat will be the Chiefs.

As unbelievable as Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the Chiefs are, they aren't invincible. The Chargers have a quarterback who can compete at Mahomes' level and a roster that's better top to bottom than Kansas City's.

These two AFC West rivals will meet in the AFC Championship Game in January. Herbert will do MVP things to lead this franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance since 1994.