Quentin Johnston’s Chargers breakout is quietly happening

A year ago, Los Angeles Chargers first-round pick Quentin Johnston registered as a disappointment.

Apparently, Jim Harbaugh has helped change that, too.

As a rookie, Johnston arrived with big expectations, seeing as plugging into an offense with Justin Herbert under center projects as one of the nicer situations for a rookie wideout to find oneself. But over 17 games, the TCU product caught just 38 of his 67 targets for 431 yards and two scores.

Through eight games in 2024? Johnston has hauled in 22 of his 37 targets for 354 yards and six scores. His yards per catch average has jumped by nearly five yards and the six scores slots him tied for fourth in the NFL behind only Ja’Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown and George Kittle.

Johnston breaking out like this is exactly what the Chargers needed after the team parted ways with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this past offseason. And the wildest part? He’s not even leading the team in receiving, not with second-round rookie Ladd McConkey emerging as a breakout with 43 grabs for 615 yards and four scores.

This is perhaps one of a few reasons the Chargers stood still at the NFL trade deadline despite it seeming obvious the offense needed to get Herbert more help.

While the Chargers slot as sneaky-good contenders right now, it’s slowly looking like Johnston-McConkey is the one-two punch of the future for Herbert, too.

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