Chargers' Justin Herbert no longer Top 10 QB according to NFL insider

Los Angeles Chargers' head coach Jim Harbaugh plans to win the AFC West with a Top 5 defense. But he can do it without at Top quarterback?

He'll have to, at least according to NFL insider Jeff Howe. In The Athletic's first quarterback rankings of the 2025 season, he has the Chargers' Justin Herbert ranked outside the Top 10, at No. 13. Ouch.

Difficult to imagine Herbert being much better than last season, when he started all 17 games, threw for 3,870 yards, 23 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He will, however, have to perform without the protection of Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater, who suffered a season-ending injury in training camp.

Despite that productive season, Herbert finished last season ranked No. 13 as well.

But there is a still a huge gap between him and the best quarterback in the AFC West: Patrick Mahomes. The Kansas City Chiefs' star comes in at No. 3, behind only reigning MVP Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Herbert gets an immediate chance to close that gap on Mahomes, as the Chargers kick off the season Friday night in Brazil against the Chiefs.

Ranked behind Mahomes and Herbert among division quarterbacks are Geno Smith of the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 17 and the Denver Broncos' Bo Nix at 20.