There’s no shortage of excitement in the NFL. With things always happening, fantasy football values don’t remain stagnant for long. Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is coming off an MVP-caliber season where his stats didn’t quite match how well he played.
Where does his dynasty value stand heading into the 2024 offseason?
Lamar Jackson’s Dynasty Outlook
Since taking over for quarterback Joe Flacco midway through the 2018 season, Jackson has been a fantasy starter. His 2018 points-per-game average is skewed because he got into games for gadget plays even before supplanting Flacco. As the full-time starter in 2019, all Jackson did was win NFL MVP and post the single greatest fantasy season for a QB of all time.
LAMAR JACKSON making magic in the playoffs! pic.twitter.com/8M2couP7OT
— PFN Fantasy (@PFNFantasy) January 28, 2024
While Jackson has never gotten close to 28.2 fantasy points per game since then, he’s been not just a QB1 but a top-eight QB every year of his career. Jackson’s 20.3 fantasy points per game in 2022 was his worst season. If a quarterback’s floor is over 20 points per game, that’s a pretty good fantasy asset.
Jackson is a consensus top-five dynasty QB, but there’s a chance he’s not being valued quite as highly as he should be. His 21.1 fantasy points per game last year was good for an overall QB3 finish. He was great, and fantasy managers are not complaining — but he should’ve been even better.
MORE: Dynasty Consensus Rankings
Jackson played out of his mind last year. Based on how good he was, he very much earned what is expected to be his second MVP award. But statistically, he’ll be one of the worst MVPs of all time. Why? Touchdowns.
Running back Gus Edwards scored 13 times last season. In previous years, Jackson was the primary option at the goal line. The Ravens made it a point to protect Jackson in the regular season, limiting unnecessary hits. As a result, they ran a bunch at the goal line, and not with Jackson.
The best dual-threat QB in the game threw for a mere 24 touchdowns while running in just five times. That’s 29 total touchdowns. By contrast, Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen threw for as many touchdowns as Jackson accounted for in total … while also rushing for a whopping 15 scores. You can argue which passer is better in real life, but in fantasy, it was Allen, and it wasn’t close.
But that’s the thing, isn’t it? It should’ve been close. If Edwards scores more in line with the rest of his career, Jackson could easily have had another 6-7 touchdowns. Even if we assume all of them were through the air, that would still have put him at around 22.8 fantasy points per game. That would’ve made him the overall QB2 and a mere 1.4 points per game behind Allen.
MORE: Yates’ 2024 Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft
Jackson is easily the best rushing quarterback in the game and the second-greatest rushing quarterback of all time behind Michael Vick. By the time he’s finished, Jackson may very well surpass Vick for that title. His fantasy value comes from his rushing.
With that being said, Jackson remains an excellent passer. He completed a career-high 67.2% of his throws last year and threw just seven interceptions. Jackson averaged an impressive 8.0 yards per attempt, good for fourth in the league.
The veteran QB is one of the best passers in the league and dynasty managers should use this fact to their advantage against league-mates who may only view Jackson as a runner.
Jackson’s Dynasty Ranking
Jason Katz’s Top 15 Dynasty QB Rankings
1) Patrick Mahomes | KC
2) Josh Allen | BUF
3) Jalen Hurts | PHI
4) Lamar Jackson | BAL
5) Joe Burrow | CIN
6) C.J. Stroud | HOU
7) Justin Herbert | LAC
8) Dak Prescott | DAL
9) Anthony Richardson | IND
10) Kyler Murray | ARI
11) Brock Purdy | SF
12) Tua Tagovailoa | MIA
13) Trevor Lawrence | JAX
14) Justin Fields | CHI
15) Jordan Love | GB
Should You Trade Jackson in Dynasty?
Are you considering trading Jackson? Our PFN Trade Analyzer allows you to find the best trades to make in seconds!
Jackson is now 27 years old. As a mobile quarterback, he is not going to be able to play into his late 30s like so many of the modern greats have been able to do. In the history of the NFL, not a single former mobile QB has remained effective past the age of 33.
MORE: Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Value Chart
Russell Wilson right now is the best one we’ve ever seen, and he’s not playing anywhere near the level he was during his 20’s in Seattle.
Last year, Jackson got his mega extension, keeping him in Baltimore through the 2027 season. I fully expect him to earn a third contract before his current one is up. He’s almost certainly going to spend the rest of his relevant career in Baltimore.
Even if Jackson follows the trend of all the mobile quarterbacks before him, that still gives him at least six years left. He’s definitely the type of quarterback you’d want to consider trading sooner than guys like Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes or Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow, but unless you’re getting one of them, Allen, Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, or Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud in return, it’s not even worth thinking about.
And even if you are, the deal would have to be crazy good for fantasy managers to be willing to part with Jackson in dynasty leagues.
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