[h=1]Why you will regret ignoring Lamar Jackson in fantasy[/h]
ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)
Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick rarely threw the prettiest football on a consistent basis, but he sure could run. Vick was an oft-misunderstood option for fantasy purposes, as fantasy managers pointed to the negatives and ignored the positives. Let us remember 2010, when Vick started for the Philadelphia Eagles and ended up fantasy's top quarterback option. He achieved this despite playing in only 12 games, despite barely eclipsing 3,000 passing yards and despite throwing only 21 touchdown passes, each being statistical marks eventual NFL MVP Tom Brady surpassed with ease that season.
What Brady did not achieve was<offer style="box-sizing: border-box;"> to rush for 676 yards and nine touchdowns. Vick did. Vick played four fewer games than Brady, and failed to rank among the leaders in the typical passing categories most everyone judges quarterbacks on, but he outscored him in fantasy, which is really what should matter to a fantasy manager. Fantasy managers should not care how a player provides fantasy points, only that they provide them.
</offer>
Turn to 2019 and fantasy managers are likely to regret ignoring Baltimore Ravensquarterback/runner Lamar Jackson, for once he was afforded the opportunity to play in 2018 he thrived. Jackson was the No. 11 quarterback in ESPN scoring from Week 11 on last season, and he and Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes are the only quarterbacks who scored 15 or more fantasy points each week during that span. Consistency! That is the list -- and it does not include Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck or Deshaun Watson. Jackson might not have looked like a great fantasy option when throwing the football, but overall he sure was.
<offer style="box-sizing: border-box;"></offer>
I cannot find a spot for Jackson among my top 10 fantasy quarterbacks so far this summer, but that is not necessarily his fault, and ... give me time. The problem is not that Jackson is a bad passer. He is not. In fact, he was prolific in college, and we saw promise as the NFL season progressed, when the Ravens permitted him to throw the football downfield. It was an odd second half for the Ravens on offense. They needed Jackson to run so they could move the football, and he looked amazing doing so, surpassing 65 rushing yards in six of seven starts, but he reached 200 passing yards only once. Still, that hardly means improvement is impossible.
In fact, it seems to me many young, raw quarterbacks take a rather large step forward in their second season, with no shortage of recent candidates (Jared Goff, Mitchell Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes). Jackson has proved he can torture defenses with his legs. While the team's owner has been vocal about him running less, that is OK if it means Jackson is permitted to throw more. Something has to give! Jackson set the record for most rushing attempts by a quarterback and did so in less than half a season, and while he struggled with accuracy as a rookie, if those other fellows improved, he can as well. The Ravens just have to let him throw downfield!
Many fantasy managers -- and the myriad folks who simply cannot understand fantasy scoring -- do not realize how valuable a running quarterback is. In the period Jackson started, only six running backs rushed for more yards than his 556. Those six fantasy points per game act as a passing touchdown, in theory. Some will view what Vick achieved a bit differently, especially his 2010 campaign. Quarterbacks who rush for large touchdown totals rarely approach the mark the following season. Check out Carolina Panthers star Cam Newtonfor proof. Newton is a larger man than Vick and Jackson, but injury finds everyone at some point and non-running passers are hardly safe too.
Jackson's passing stats as a rookie did not excite, though give him credit for avoiding turnovers. Only three interceptions in seven starts, and none the final five games, is impressive. OK, so the team protected him and allowed only basic, safe throws. That is fair. The team also lacked awesome weapons. There was constant change in the backfield and the top receivers were Willie Snead IV, John Brown and Michael Crabtree. Some will say they could not succeed with Jackson. Well, could Brady succeed with that? Brady sure did not statisticallysucceed last season with his receiving corps. The Ravens have since drafted electric speedsters Marquise Brown (Oklahoma) and Miles Boykin (Notre Dame) to potentially start right away and surely get downfield. I think Jackson can and will find them.
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</article>Ultimately, the point is that running quarterbacks do not need to pile on the passing numbers in order to be valuable fantasy assets. Jackson simply did not have a bad fantasy game as a rookie because of the high floor created by his rushing totals. Give some of the rushing numbers back in exchange for better passing ones and we still get to a strong statistical place. I just do not see how the Ravens restrict Jackson from leaving the pocket when he has shown to be so effective in creating big plays from nothing. The Ravens through the Joe Flaccoera relied heavily on defense, ball control and a strong running game. The Ravens can defend, control the clock and run ... it is just the quarterback contributing, if not leading the way.
What would it take to make Jackson my starter in a standard league? Well, I am essentially there now, but it is tough to argue with the reliability and consistency of New Orleans Saints leader Drew Brees, Pittsburgh Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger and Dallas Cowboys starter Dak Prescott, often overlooked but a top-12 fantasy quarterback each of his first three seasons. There are more than enough quarterbacks likely to provide ample production for such a standard league. This is why I wait until the end to select a quarterback -- and if nobody wants Jackson, fine with me. I will pair him with another overlooked passer like Prescott, Goff or Kyler Murray -- future star, and the future is now! -- and play it week to week.
ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)
Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick rarely threw the prettiest football on a consistent basis, but he sure could run. Vick was an oft-misunderstood option for fantasy purposes, as fantasy managers pointed to the negatives and ignored the positives. Let us remember 2010, when Vick started for the Philadelphia Eagles and ended up fantasy's top quarterback option. He achieved this despite playing in only 12 games, despite barely eclipsing 3,000 passing yards and despite throwing only 21 touchdown passes, each being statistical marks eventual NFL MVP Tom Brady surpassed with ease that season.
What Brady did not achieve was<offer style="box-sizing: border-box;"> to rush for 676 yards and nine touchdowns. Vick did. Vick played four fewer games than Brady, and failed to rank among the leaders in the typical passing categories most everyone judges quarterbacks on, but he outscored him in fantasy, which is really what should matter to a fantasy manager. Fantasy managers should not care how a player provides fantasy points, only that they provide them.
</offer>
Turn to 2019 and fantasy managers are likely to regret ignoring Baltimore Ravensquarterback/runner Lamar Jackson, for once he was afforded the opportunity to play in 2018 he thrived. Jackson was the No. 11 quarterback in ESPN scoring from Week 11 on last season, and he and Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes are the only quarterbacks who scored 15 or more fantasy points each week during that span. Consistency! That is the list -- and it does not include Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck or Deshaun Watson. Jackson might not have looked like a great fantasy option when throwing the football, but overall he sure was.
<offer style="box-sizing: border-box;"></offer>
I cannot find a spot for Jackson among my top 10 fantasy quarterbacks so far this summer, but that is not necessarily his fault, and ... give me time. The problem is not that Jackson is a bad passer. He is not. In fact, he was prolific in college, and we saw promise as the NFL season progressed, when the Ravens permitted him to throw the football downfield. It was an odd second half for the Ravens on offense. They needed Jackson to run so they could move the football, and he looked amazing doing so, surpassing 65 rushing yards in six of seven starts, but he reached 200 passing yards only once. Still, that hardly means improvement is impossible.
In fact, it seems to me many young, raw quarterbacks take a rather large step forward in their second season, with no shortage of recent candidates (Jared Goff, Mitchell Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes). Jackson has proved he can torture defenses with his legs. While the team's owner has been vocal about him running less, that is OK if it means Jackson is permitted to throw more. Something has to give! Jackson set the record for most rushing attempts by a quarterback and did so in less than half a season, and while he struggled with accuracy as a rookie, if those other fellows improved, he can as well. The Ravens just have to let him throw downfield!
Many fantasy managers -- and the myriad folks who simply cannot understand fantasy scoring -- do not realize how valuable a running quarterback is. In the period Jackson started, only six running backs rushed for more yards than his 556. Those six fantasy points per game act as a passing touchdown, in theory. Some will view what Vick achieved a bit differently, especially his 2010 campaign. Quarterbacks who rush for large touchdown totals rarely approach the mark the following season. Check out Carolina Panthers star Cam Newtonfor proof. Newton is a larger man than Vick and Jackson, but injury finds everyone at some point and non-running passers are hardly safe too.
Jackson's passing stats as a rookie did not excite, though give him credit for avoiding turnovers. Only three interceptions in seven starts, and none the final five games, is impressive. OK, so the team protected him and allowed only basic, safe throws. That is fair. The team also lacked awesome weapons. There was constant change in the backfield and the top receivers were Willie Snead IV, John Brown and Michael Crabtree. Some will say they could not succeed with Jackson. Well, could Brady succeed with that? Brady sure did not statisticallysucceed last season with his receiving corps. The Ravens have since drafted electric speedsters Marquise Brown (Oklahoma) and Miles Boykin (Notre Dame) to potentially start right away and surely get downfield. I think Jackson can and will find them.
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</article>Ultimately, the point is that running quarterbacks do not need to pile on the passing numbers in order to be valuable fantasy assets. Jackson simply did not have a bad fantasy game as a rookie because of the high floor created by his rushing totals. Give some of the rushing numbers back in exchange for better passing ones and we still get to a strong statistical place. I just do not see how the Ravens restrict Jackson from leaving the pocket when he has shown to be so effective in creating big plays from nothing. The Ravens through the Joe Flaccoera relied heavily on defense, ball control and a strong running game. The Ravens can defend, control the clock and run ... it is just the quarterback contributing, if not leading the way.
What would it take to make Jackson my starter in a standard league? Well, I am essentially there now, but it is tough to argue with the reliability and consistency of New Orleans Saints leader Drew Brees, Pittsburgh Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger and Dallas Cowboys starter Dak Prescott, often overlooked but a top-12 fantasy quarterback each of his first three seasons. There are more than enough quarterbacks likely to provide ample production for such a standard league. This is why I wait until the end to select a quarterback -- and if nobody wants Jackson, fine with me. I will pair him with another overlooked passer like Prescott, Goff or Kyler Murray -- future star, and the future is now! -- and play it week to week.
