Jalen Hurts is officially the QB1 for the Philadelphia Eagles after the Eagles traded Carson Wentz. For the time being (if Philadelphia doesn’t draft a quarterback) Hurts will enter the season as the starting quarterback. Hurts can’t be taken seriously as a legitimate NFL starter long term but fantasy is a different ball game.
Rushing ability for quarterbacks is the hidden cheat code when it comes fantasy. A year ago, I tried to warn everyone with Kyler Murray. He was a fantasy rockstar waiting to happen. Of course, Murray finished the year as QB1 for fantasy in 2020.
Hurts has massive fantasy potential. Again, this is not team building. Would I want Hurts on my roster as an NFL general manager? God, no. Set me on fire first. Fantasy roster? Yeah, I can do worse.
The rushing is what can make Hurts a valuable fantasy commodity. Hurts finished as a QB9 on a points per game basis as a starter. As a rookie in those starts, Hurts averaged 11 rushing attempts per game. A year ago, Lamar Jackson led the league with 10 attempts per contest.
The key to fantasy success isn’t just about talent. It’s about volume and opportunity. If Hurts can carry the ball 11 times per game and pick up 60-70 extra rushing yards every Sunday, that’s a huge boom to fantasy success. Additionally, you’re talking about a good handful of rushing touchdowns as well.
Hurts won’t make it as a starting quarterback long term. Let’s make that clear. BUT… if we can buy a Marcus Mariota one-year window with rushing success, you can do worse in fantasy. Especially in two-quarterback leagues. Even if Hurts is awful (and he will be) the rushing potential presents such a high floor that you won’t miss.
The biggest question to this point is if Hurts will keep the job the entire season. If Hurts can throw 20 touchdowns which is a really low number, he’s still more than usable in fantasy. If Philadelphia doesn’t draft another quarterback, Hurts is basically a lock to outplay his fantasy draft position.
Fantasy is a different game. Rushing quarterbacks hold the cake and eat it too. Even the ones that can’t play a lick like Jalen Hurts have value.
