It seems odd to say less than a full year from being named NFL MVP that Lamar Jackson fantasy owners should avoid drafting him again. However, here we are in the craziness of fantasy 2020. I have nothing against Jackson; I think he’s good for certain systems. That system, however, is not the one the Baltimore Ravens are running.
If you’re like me, you’re already thinking about who to use keepers on next year, or who to draft. Lamar Jackson, as big of a name as he is, shouldn’t be on your fantasy radar in 2021.
Lamar Jackson Fantasy 2021
Jackson, through Week 14, is only the 13th-ranked quarterback in fantasy. For the place he was being drafted going into this year, that’s simply unacceptable. You need elite stats out of anybody you draft high. It is even more important among quarterbacks who are easy to pick up after the draft.
In many leagues, he was taken in the second round. So, when guys like Ryan Tannehill (No. 7) or Justin Herbert (No. 9) are ranked above Lamar, it hurts. Even drafting him in the middle rounds is a solid FLEX option that you passed on for him. You can’t get subpar production from those picks.
Jackson has scored 20 or more fantasy points in six of 12 weeks, while also missing a game to COVID. Not only is that not enough by itself, but he is way too inconsistent. Against four average, at best, defenses of the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and the Tennessee Titans, he couldn’t score over 20 once. The few times he put up 20 or more was with a rushing touchdown. While that is his specialty, he is much too one-dimensional now.
[sc name=”newsletter” ]Jackson’s Name Value is Too High
Jackson is a decent quarterback for fantasy. However, he is not good enough to be drafted among elite options like Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers. He can’t even score more than guys who go largely undrafted.
Even if he’s a late keeper for you, is he really worth it? It would make much more sense to take a proven FLEX play or a boom-or-bust player as a keeper because, at the end of the day, you know what you’re getting with Jackson. With plenty of solid quarterbacks going late or undrafted and plenty of guys flying under the radar each season, he just isn’t worth the headache.
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