THE GREAT DEBATE: WHO WILL BE THE TOP FANTASY QB IN 2020
Who is the best fantasy quarterback pick: Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson?
By: John Falabella
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As the NFL season is set to kick off a large question looms… Who will be the highest scoring fantasy player for the 2020 season? Over the past decade, since the implementation of the “Running Back by committee”, the highest scoring player each season has been a QB. Last season 11 of the 12 top scoring players were QBs (the exception – Christian McCaffrey #2 in points overall) but who are the top two candidates to be the highest scoring player this season?
The conversation must start with the highest scoring player from the 2019 season and last year’s NFL MVP, Lamar Jackson. This guy has electrified the NFL over the past two seasons and averaged over 27 points/game in 2019 in his first full year as a starter.
In 2018 Jackson was inserted into the starting lineup around midseason and he instantly transformed the Ravens into a Super Bowl contender. Jackson passes the eye test as a passer and as a runner. His passing stats (3127 yards – 36 TDs – 6 INTs) alone would have ranked him as the #12 QB last season and his rushing numbers (1206 yards and 7 TDs) would have ranked him as the #19 RB. Drafting Lamar Jackson is like drafting two players in one. He will once again be dynamic in 2020.
The second candidate would have to be the highest scoring player from two years ago and the 2018 NFL MVP, Patrick Mahomes. In 2018 Mahomes averaged over 26 points/game while throwing 50 Touchdown passes in his first year as a starter.
Mahomes started off 2019 very strong, averaging 23 points/game over his first six, but a knee injury slowed him a bit when he returned. He still put up a respectable 20 points/week over the final 7 games but Andy Reid seemed to be a bit more cautious with him. In the playoffs he was let loose again and ended up leading the Chiefs to a come from behind victory in the Super Bowl and took home the MVP trophy.
Who will be the top fantasy QB in 2020?
Looking down the road some question marks appear for the Chiefs. After winning the Super Bowl in 2019, the Chiefs will be without RBs Damian Williams (Covid-19 Opt-out) and LeSean McCoy (Tampa Bay) but they will be going with first round rookie RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire as their primary running back. While he is a very talented back, young players tend to make mistakes and without a proven veteran backup they will be forced to work around them. Also, the Chiefs will be without two key offensive linemen which may lead them to become a little more conservative with the play calling as well as with Mahomes. On the other hand, they will still have the services of two of the best offensive weapons in the NFL: WR Tyreek Hill and TE Travis Kelce.
Jackson and the Ravens have the majority of their offense returning and still have veteran RB Mark Ingram taking the handoffs in the backfield. They will also use 2nd round rookie RB, J.K. Dobbins, making the backfield a little more electrifying. Jackson also had a great rapport with TE Mark Andrews and young WR Marquise Brown but the focal point of this team will be Jackson, who made the Ravens special the moment he took the field for the first time.
FINAL DECISION – MAHOMES vs JACKSON WHO IS THE BEST FANTASY QUARTERBACK PICK
If you were to ask me who the better QB is I would say Patrick Mahomes, by far. If you were asking me who is the better athlete, I would go with Lamar Jackson. If you asked me who was the better football player, that would be tough to answer but, in the short term, I would say Jackson. If you asked me which of these two players will have the better career, I would say Mahomes since he is built for the long haul while Jackson plays with reckless abandon but finally, if you asked me who will have the better season in 2020 I would go with Lamar Jackson.
Any player that can throw for over 3000 yards while throwing 30 touchdowns is already worthy of a starting spot on your team but when that very same player can rush for an average of 80 yards/game and 1200 yards for the season plus 7 touchdowns how could you turn it down?
I think both Jackson and Mahomes are first round picks but Lamar Jackson should be the first quarterback off the board in 2020 Fantasy Football drafts!
