Fantasy Football Rookie Report Card: Ranking the quarterbacks for 2020 and beyond
The rookie quarterback class had its moments but isn't ready to impact many 2020 Fantasy drafts beyond Kyler Murray's top-five upside.
By
Chris Towers
•
1 min read
Compared to 2018, we didn't have quite as many big-name rookie quarterbacks from the 2019 draft class — after all, there were only three quarterbacks taken in 2019, compared to five in the first round in 2018. However, this year's rookie class actually fared slightly better as a whole, with three passers throwing for at least 20 touchdowns, compared to only one in 2018's class.
So where does the 2019 rookie class stand after one year? You've got one bona fide, future Fantasy superstar, and no surprise, it's the guy who went No. 1 overall. After that, things get a little muddier, and in comparison to the 2018 class, you probably take Lamar Jackson (obviously), Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield over anyone else in this class for 2020 and beyond.
Here's where the rookie quarterbacks stand after one year, focusing on those players who were either first-round picks or got enough playing time that they might be their team's starting quarterback of the future.
Murray wasn't the immediate difference maker some might have hoped for as a rookie, but you don't have to look hard to find reasons to be excited. Last season, the Cardinals averaged 5.8 yards per pass attempted and had 15 total passing touchdowns; Murray averaged 6.9 yards per attempt and had 20 passing touchdowns, not to mention 544 rushing yards on 5.8 yards per attempt and four rushing touchdowns. We didn't see the high-powered offense we were hoping for from Kliff Kingsbury in Year 1, but the fact is Murray finished seventh in Fantasy points in four points per passing TD formats as a rookie (10th in six points per TD), and you have to think he's only going to get better from here. He might be a top-five QB pick next season.
| ||||||||||
With Jones, the highs were incredibly high, including three games with four touchdowns and no interceptions — only Lamar Jackson had more such games. Of course, the fact that more than half of his touchdowns came in those three games tells you all you need to know about how low the lows were. He led the league with 18 fumbles in just 13 games, which makes his relatively low 12 interceptions look a lot worse. There's obvious upside here, especially since he showed more mobility than expected before his ankle injury, but Jones has a long way to go before we start taking about him as a top-12 Fantasy QB. He probably isn't a top-15 Dynasty QB either.
| ||||||||||
Minshew was within one point of both Murray and Jones as the best Fantasy QB among rookies, and the hope here is he'll head into 2020 as the starter for the Jaguars even with Nick Foles still around. Minshew was just a playmaker, getting the most out of the Jaguars offense and helping D.J. Chark to the first 1,000-yard season of his career — while also rushing for 344 yards himself. That rushing ability could be key, because it gives him a solid boost in Fantasy points every week, however it's worth noting that he ran a 4.97 40 at the combine and wasn't much of a runner in college, so if that was a fluke, he might have a hard time staying Fantasy relevant.
| ||||||||||
Haskins probably deserves something close to an incomplete for this season. He was clearly overwhelmed early on, averaging just 6.0 yards per attempt with three touchdowns in his first five starts, but started to come on over his last two, tossing four touchdowns and passing for nearly 400 yards in just six quarters of action before an ankle injury in Week 16 ended his season. It would have been nice to see him finish the season on a high note, but Haskins is surrounded by young talent, especially at receiver, and should take a Year 2 leap with a new coach. That probably won't be enough to make him Fantasy relevant on Draft Day.
| ||||||||||
The Broncos have to feel great about Lock going 4-1 in his five starts, but Fantasy players didn't see nearly enough to put him on our radars for 2020. He took care of the ball, but had multiple touchdowns in just two of five starts, and averaged below 6.5 yards per attempt in four of five. Perhaps most concerningly, Courtland Sutton was on a 70-catch, 896-yard pace in games Lock started, compared to a 1,200-yard pace before Lock took over. Lock was unable to practice for most of the year, so that could explain the lack of chemistry there, but he'll need to take more risks — his averaged intended air yards per attempt was just 6.8, lowest of these passers – if this offense is going to take a step forward. Lock probably won't enter next season as a top-20 QB, and he's just a low-end QB2 in Dynasty formats.
| ||||||||||
