Can Justin Herbert could do as rookie what Chargers legends Dan Fouts and Philip Rivers could not?
Chargers QB Justin Herbert is +2000 at William Hill sportsbook to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
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Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts was a member of the NFL's 1980s All-Decade Team who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. Former Charger Philip Rivers, now with Indianapolis, holds essentially every career Chargers passing record and will be Canton-bound at some point down the road as well. Neither Fouts nor Rivers won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Could QB Justin Herbert do so in 2020? He's priced at +2000 on the moneyline odds at William Hill sportsbook.
Fouts was a 1973 third-round pick by the Chargers out of Oregon but wasn't very good as a rookie. He played in 10 games and started six, going 0-5-1. Fouts completed just 44.8 percent of his passes with six TDs and 13 picks. The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1973 was Vikings running back Chuck Foreman.
Rivers was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2004 draft by the Giants but traded immediately to the Chargers in the Eli Manning swap as Manning refused to play in San Diego. Rivers barely played his first two seasons in the NFL because the Chargers had Drew Brees under center. The 2004 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year was Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
The only Charger to win the award was running back Don Woods in 1974. That was prove a fluke as Woods was never close to that good again.
Herbert, chosen No. 6 overall in this year's draft also out of Oregon, will have to beat out veteran journeyman Tyrod Taylor in training camp for the starting job to have a realistic shot at this award, unless Taylor gets hurt or replaced very early in the season.
Not being able to participate in any offseason activities certainly hurts Herbert's chances of being the Week 1 starter. Herbert has an NFL arm without question but had some accuracy issues at Oregon in completing just 64 percent of his passes and he also fumbled quite a bit.
Los Angeles opens the season at the Bengals and Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite Joe Burrow. The Chargers are 3-point favorites on the NFL odds.
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