Lamar Jackson has been worth his weight in fantasy gold in 2019

A look at the season Lamar Jackson has put together in fantasy football in 2019

After Thursday night’s dismantling of the New York Jets, there can surely be no doubt as to the identity of the 2019 MVP. Lamar Jackson was masterful once again as a passer and a rusher, with his third game with five passing touchdowns and his setting the new single-season rushing record for a quarterback. It has truly been a season to remember for Jackson.

But as good as he has been in “real” life, we cannot overstate how great Jackson has been in fantasy football. As crazy as it seems now, according to average draft position data from My Fantasy League, Jackson was the 15th quarterback selected in fantasy drafts in August. People who picked him up this late are all looking pretty clever now, as Jackson is the leading point scorer in ALL of fantasy football.

His 37.1 fantasy points against the New York Jets marked the seventh time this season Jackson has amassed 30 or more points in a single game. Since the dawn of the 21st century, only three players have had more 30 point games in a single season. Marshall Faulk (2000), former Ravens running back Priest Holmes (2003) and LaDanian Tomlinson (2006) all had nine such games. Jackson has two games left in 2019, but it is by no means certain that he’ll play a full role in either of them. Jackson has been the overall QB3 or better eight times in 2019, with three weeks as the overall QB1 (potentially four, pending the rest of the Week 15 games).

Jackson has a whopping 387.9 Points per Reception (PPR) fantasy points after 14 games. This is a new Ravens single-season record, beating Ray Rice’s 372.8 from 2011. Jackson has also averaged a whopping 27.7 PPR points per game in 2019, another Ravens record. Jackson is one of three Ravens players to average more than 20 PPR points per game in a season, joining Rice (2009 and 2011) and Jamal Lewis (2003).

As crazy as it sounds, Jackson could have had an even greater season if it were not his deeds in blowing out some of the teams he has played against. As Matthew Stevens pointed out, Jackson has sat in the 4th quarter of all three of the games in which he tossed five touchdowns.

What I find amazing is that Jackson has 3 games of 5TD passes this season. And he's sat in the 4th quarter of all of them.

Imagine if he played for a full 60 minutes. Is 7 or 8 TDs out of the question in those games? I don't think so and THAT's why he's the MVP.

— MatthewStevens (@MatthewS_NFL) December 13, 2019

But for all the greatness, there could be a sting in the tail for Jackson’s owners this season. Some scenarios could occur this weekend that would lock up the No. 1 seed for the Ravens, clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and making the final regular-season game meaningless. Ravens coach John Harbaugh could decide to give his superstar an extended break, which would mean Jackson being unavailable for the fantasy football championships (usually played in Week 16, unless your commissioner is a psychopath).

Whether he plays in the final game or not, Jackson has been a true fantasy superstar in 2019. Ravens fans and fantasy football fans alike have been truly blessed to have him in our lives this season.

[vertical-gallery id=39350]

Fantasy football: Week 12 sits/starts for the Ravens

A look at the fantasy appeal of the Ravens players heading into Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams.

Monday Night Football in Week 12 sees the 8-2 Baltimore Ravens travel to Los Angeles to take on the 6-4 Rams. The Ravens are on a six-game winning streak and have won their last four games by double-digits. The reigning NFC champion Rams have won three of their last four, but find themselves in third place in the NFC West behind the 9-1 San Francisco 49ers and the 8-2 Seattle Seahawks.

Here, I’ll offer my thoughts on players to start and players to sit this week. As ever, Lamar Jackson is playing, so if you’ve got him, you’re starting him.

Start at RB2 – RB, Mark Ingram

One of these weeks I am confident that I will correctly asses the fantasy value of Mark Ingram. I mean, I recommended sitting him last week due to concerns regarding his volume and production. Ingram, true to form, carried the ball only 13 times for 48 yards, the third time in four games he’s been held below four yards per attempt. But then almost out of nowhere, he catches three passes, two of which result in touchdowns. Maddening.

The Rams have been solid and unwelcoming to running backs this season. Only one running back has amassed more than 45 yards against them since Week 8. No running back has scored a rushing touchdown against them since Week 6. Tailbacks are not exactly enjoying themselves as pass catchers against them either. Tarik Cohen had five receptions against them last week, but that was the first time since Week 8 any back has had more than four catches in a game against the Rams. They’ve not allowed a running back to top 35 receiving yards since Week 1.

In his current form, I have to acknowledge that Ingram is a touchdown-dependent fantasy asset. He is not commanding a large workload, as evidenced by the fact that he has 15 or fewer carries in each of his last five games. Nor is he an every-down player, as he has played less than 66% of the Ravens offensive snaps in all but one game in 2019. If you have no other option, then he can be plugged in as an RB2. But we can’t expect him to score two receiving touchdowns ever again.

[vertical-gallery id=37274]

Pages: 1234

Fantasy football: Week 11 sits/starts for the Ravens

A look at what Ravens players to start, and which to sit, for Week 11 against the Houston Texans.

Sunday sees a clash between two division leaders as the Baltimore Ravens lock horns with the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens have won their last five games at sit atop the AFC North with a 7-2 record. The Texans are on a two-game winning streak and are fresh from a bye following their rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars in London two weeks ago.

Here, I’ll offer my thoughts on players to start and players to sit this week. As ever, Lamar Jackson is playing, so if you’ve got him you’re starting him.

SIT – RB, Mark Ingram

Running backs have not enjoyed a great deal of success against the Texans in 2019. A tailback hasn’t scored more than 12.4 PPR points against them since Week 5. They’ve allowed only two running back rushing scores as well.

Ingram continues to operate as the lead back for Baltimore. But it would be inaccurate to describe him as a workhorse. He has gone four games since his last 20 opportunity game (carries + targets), and he’s been held below 50 rushing yards in four of his last five outings. He remains largely dependent on touchdowns with regards to his fantasy output and has finished higher than RB31 just once in games in which he didn’t find the endzone.

The Texans have been slightly more welcoming to running backs in the passing game, with seven running backs catching at least five passes against them this year. However, Ingram has commanded more than two targets in a game only three times this season and has exceeded 22 receiving yards just once since Week 3.

[vertical-gallery id=36838]

Pages: 1234