Coming off his second MVP season, the pieces are in place for Lamar Jackson to have a repeat performance. The 27-year-old is in his prime and figures to be one of the best fantasy players in 2024.
Here's what to know about Jackson ahead of your fantasy football draft:
Last Year's Production
2023 Stats: 3,678 passing yards, 24 passing TDs, 7 INTs, 148 carries, 821 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs | ESPN: 331.22 fantasy points, QB4; Yahoo: 338.22 fantasy points, QB4
Last season, Jackson finished as QB4 behind the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen (No. 1), the Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts (2), and the Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott (3). Jackson averaged 20.7 points per game and had a high of 36.3 in Week 17, which is the championship week for most leagues.
Projected Role/Production
ESPN: 3,395 passing yards, 22 pass TDs, 11 INTs, 124 carries, 737 rushing yards, 6 rushing TDs, 303.9 fantasy points (QB4)
Yahoo: 3,516 passing yards, 25 pass TDs, 10 INTs, 144 carries, 801 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs, 336.7 fantasy points (QB4)
Jackson has elite playmakers at every position, with wide receiver Zay Flowers coming off a record-setting rookie year, tight end Mark Andrews healthy again, and the addition of two-time rushing champion Derrick Henry. Defenses will have to pick their battles, setting Jackson up for likely another huge season.
Jackson is also entering Year 2 in Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken's system, which has built his confidence with the passing scheme and could mean higher efficiency and more big plays through the air.
Why He Could Outperform ADP
According to an average of major fantasy football websites, Jackson's average draft position (ADP) is 37.4, so early fourth round in a 12-team league. He's the fourth-highest quarterback behind Allen (1), Hurts (2), and the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes (3).
Jackson has the potential to be QB1 this season, and his legs are something to monitor. Jackson has dropped considerable weight this offseason to become more agile, and it looked like it paid off during training camp. If Jackson has more burst in 2024, those rushing yards (and touchdowns) could give his fantasy production a boost.
Potential Roadblocks
Jackson is playing behind a reworked offensive line that will have three new Week 1 starters. That will obviously impact Jackson's pass protection. Baltimore struggled to get run blocking push in the trenches during the preseason, granted Monken was running vanilla plays to not give anything away. If the run game can't get going and Jackson doesn't have time to throw, it would hurt his fantasy output.
