While the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2019 season was one most fans would rather forget about, rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II provided a ray of hope for the 2020 season after aiding the team to all their wins. As a result, he’ll not only be one of the most anticipated players to watch by Jags fans, but one of the most anticipated to watch in the NFL.
There are some national pundits who also picked up on the rookies success last year and believe he has what it takes to make a bigger impact in 2020. ESPN Fantasy guru Eric Karabell is the latest to jump on the bandwagon as he listed Minshew amongst the top sleepers at the quarterback position.
Gardner Minshew, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars: Minshew is more than just a fine mustache. A surprising QB2 when active as a rookie, Minshew not only has plenty of tools to succeed and overcome pre-draft concerns as a passer, he emerged as an underrated thrower of the deep pass, and only four quarterbacks rushed for more yards last season. The Jaguars seemed a bit indifferent to building a contending team for 2020, and the quarterback competition is over with Nick Foles gone, so expect Minshew to throw and run to his heart’s content — and pile on enough fantasy points to matter.
Despite the Jags adding more on defense than offense this offseason, Minshew very well could step his game up. An X-factor that could help him do that is new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, who had success with Andy Dalton and Kirk Cousins in the early parts of their careers.
The Jags also will have a stronger receivers corps, though the key will be health with the group. They drafted big-target receivers in Laviska Shenault Jr. and Collin Johnson, who were stars on the collegiate level. They also added veteran tight end Tyler Eifert, who played under Gruden in Cincinnati and brings familiarity to the offense.
The Jags will also get a draft pick they were super high on back from the 2019 class in Josh Oliver, who ended up missing a majority of the season with a hamstring issue and a back injury that placed him on injured reserve. One of Minshew’s favorite targets, James O’Shaughnessy, will also be back off IR after sustaining an ACL tear in 2019.
Add the aforementioned names in with pro bowler D.J. Chark and veteran Chris Conley, and yes, Minshew could be very productive in 2020. Again, it will just come down to his pass-catchers staying healthy and his offensive line playing better than they did in 2019.