X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Lamar Jackson: MVP in Reality and Fantasy?

Lamar Jackson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the 2019 NFL MVP frontrunner. But should a quarterback also be the fantasy football MVP? Scott Engel examines Jackson's resume to determine his true worth in fantasy.

The NFL MVP talk is generating a lot of buzz right now as two QBs, Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson, are the clear frontrunners. The honor almost always goes to a signal-caller, and the fact that two dual-threat types are the top candidates shows how the position has clearly evolved.

Quarterback is still the most essential position in the NFL, as finding a stable franchise player at the position seems to be a very challenging and often-elusive pursuit for some teams. In standard fantasy football leagues, the quarterback is less emphasized, since only 10 or 12 teams need a quality starter out of the roughly 32 starting-caliber options. Of course, two QB leagues give us a better appreciation for what real NFL teams have to deal with when seeking a quality solution.

After 13 weeks, Jackson is the second-highest scoring player in fantasy football and tops at the QB position. We also have to consider that the rising Baltimore superstar could be both the real and fantasy MVP this season.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

The NFL MVP Race

Jackson is obviously the most dynamic player in the game right now, and we have truly never seen a dual-threat like him before. He conjures up visions of Michael Vick as a runner but already looks like he can ultimately be a smoother and better passer than Vick ever was. The Ravens are the best team in the league right now, and Jackson is clearly the biggest reason why.

He gets my vote over Wilson right now because Jackson has knocked off top-quality teams like the Patriots and Seahawks, edged out the 49ers, and destroyed the Texans and Rams. Wilson threw a decisive pick-six in the loss to Baltimore, his only glaring mistake in an otherwise impressive season, but it’s enough to help give Jackson the edge, in addition to the outstanding five victories mentioned. While he struggled at times as a passer against San Francisco, he was still a distinctive difference-maker as a runner and led the drive that set up the winning field goal.

Wilson has more proven success as a pro, so he could be the guy you would want to lean on more in the playoffs. Only a couple of years removed from being considered a complementary piece to Marshawn Lynch and a shutdown defense, Wilson has become a standout axis of a team that seems to get better as the season progresses. But savvy NFL fans realized his value to the franchise long before now. The year before Wilson was drafted (2011), the Seahawks had Lynch and the Legion of Boom secondary in place and won just seven games.

Though many might bet on Wilson to lead a deep postseason run based on his previous experience, the NFL MVP is a regular-season award. In that regard, no one has been quite as outstanding as Jackson. Here is how my personal NFL MVP voting card would look like right now:

  1. Lamar Jackson – The most unstoppable force in the game and has five impressive wins over top teams to his credit
  2. Russell Wilson – A better passer than Jackson and maybe the best overall QB in the NFL with outstanding leadership abilities.
  3. Dalvin Cook – Clearly was the missing element to Minnesota becoming a true contender.
  4. Michael Thomas – A WR is not going to win it, but he is the best player at his position and the biggest standout on one of the NFC's best teams
  5. Patrick MahomesNo way you cannot mention him, but he did miss a bit of time

You'll notice an absence of 49ers because no single player has jumped out, which is a testament to their terrific play as a team. Aaron Rodgers has not consistently played at a high level as in the past. The Bills deserve a lot of respect, but Josh Allen is just not playing at an MVP level.

As for Christian McCaffrey, I don’t endorse MVP candidates on non-playoff teams in any sport. Of course, he can easily win the Offensive Player of the Year award, which he truly deserves. But with or without McCaffrey, the Panthers are not going to make the playoffs in 2019.  Stephon Gilmore deserves a mention as the best player on a defense that has been the reason for most of New England's success. Aaron Rodgers has not played at a high level all year, and the loss to San Francisco was definitely a significant minus.

 

The Fantasy MVP Race

When deciding the real-life MVP, it's important to consider where a team would be without that player and how essential he is to that team being one of the best in the league. In fantasy football, though, the parameters are different. Draft value becomes a huge factor.

If based only on a player's overall performance, McCaffrey would easily be the frontrunner for fantasy football MVP honors. He plays at what is considered the most top-heavy position in fantasy football and has outproduced his competition with ease.

McCaffrey was the second player drafted overall in the Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC) and third in most other platforms. Jackson was taken 90th overall in the FFPC and as low as 115th elsewhere. On draft day, he was considered a high-end fantasy QB2 (at best) by many owners.

Quarterback is certainly deeper for fantasy purposes than running back, making it tougher to vault a QB ahead of an RB in this conversation. But when you consider Jackson is a top-10 rusher in the NFL, he deserves the top spot over McCaffrey. You are getting top tier RB numbers at the QB position on top of his passing totals.

My Fantasy Football MVP Card looks like this:

  1. Lamar Jackson – A QB/RB hybrid who is the most unique fantasy player at any position.
  2. Christian McCaffrey – Will be the crux of many championship squads. The Fantasy MVP should include playoff considerations.
  3. Dalvin Cook – Some passed on him because of injury concerns and have spent every day since regretting it.
  4. Michael Thomas – Completely matchup-proof and a weekly superstar.
  5. Derrick Henry - Outplaying several RBs drafted ahead of him in his best year ever.

Others I considered for votes include Chris GodwinAustin Ekeler and John Brown. If Austin Hooper had stayed healthy he would have been fourth.

More NFL Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Austin Gomber35 mins ago

Scratched From Rehab Start With Shoulder Inflammation
Zack Wheeler46 mins ago

Records 10 Strikeouts
48 mins ago

Matthew Golden Making Pre-Draft Visit To Steelers
Cincinnati Bengals54 mins ago

Trey Hendrickson Not Looking For Short-Term Deal
Aroldis Chapman1 hour ago

Earns First Save Of The Season
Garrett Crochet1 hour ago

Works Eight Strong Innings
Tutu Atwell1 hour ago

Rams Plan To Give Tutu Atwell A Bigger Role In 2025
Rafael Devers1 hour ago

Finally Delivers At The Plate
Tampa Bay Buccaneers1 hour ago

Bucs Restructure Antoine Winfield's Deal To Free Up Cap Space
Xavier Edwards1 hour ago

Collects Four Hits
Pete Alonso2 hours ago

Comes Up Clutch
Jackson Merrill3 hours ago

Goes Deep After Inking Nine-Year Extension
Jrue Holiday3 hours ago

Won't Play Against Miami
New York Jets3 hours ago

Xavier Newman-Johnson Re-Signs With New York
Luis Castillo3 hours ago

Finally Beats The Tigers On Wednesday
Al Horford4 hours ago

Sidelined Versus Heat
Seiya Suzuki4 hours ago

Carries Cubs Offense With Two Homers, Five RBI
Kristaps Porzingis4 hours ago

Ruled Out On Wednesday
Fred VanVleet4 hours ago

Out Versus Utah
Dennis Santana4 hours ago

Picks Up First Save Of The Year
Evan Phillips4 hours ago

Tony Gonsolin, Evan Phillips Starting Rehab Assignments
Dean Wade4 hours ago

Sidelined On Wednesday
George Springer4 hours ago

Hits First Homer In Win Over Nationals
Alex Bregman4 hours ago

Considering Using Torpedo Bat
Trae Young4 hours ago

Expected To Suit Up On Wednesday
Freddie Freeman5 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Ozzie Albies5 hours ago

Moving To Leadoff Spot On Wednesday
Joel Embiid5 hours ago

Will Undergo Arthroscopic Surgery On His Left Knee
Evgeni Malkin5 hours ago

Joins Penguins For Road Trip
Freddy Peralta5 hours ago

Dazzles In No-Decision Against Royals
Filip Chytil5 hours ago

Could Miss Rest Of Season
Jackson Chourio5 hours ago

Picks Up Three Hits, First Homer In Extra-Innings Win
Declan Chisholm5 hours ago

Back In Action Against Rangers
Michael Harris II5 hours ago

Sitting Against Lefty On Wednesday
Keaton Wallace5 hours ago

Sidelined Again On Wednesday
Samuel Girard5 hours ago

Exits Avalanche Lineup Wednesday
Gunnar Henderson5 hours ago

To Make Another Rehab Appearance On Wednesday
Joel Kiviranta5 hours ago

Returning Against Blackhawks
Paul Skenes5 hours ago

Wins His First Game Of The Season
Eeli Tolvanen6 hours ago

Misses First Game Of The Season
Jaden Schwartz6 hours ago

Unavailable Against Canucks
7 hours ago

Kyle McCord Rising Up Draft Boards?
7 hours ago

Ashton Jeanty To Raiders Continues To Gain Steam
7 hours ago

Emeka Egbuka To Fall To Round 2?
Los Angeles Rams7 hours ago

Rob Havenstein Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp
Cleveland Browns9 hours ago

Mike Hall Likely To Miss Offseason Program After Having Knee Surgery
New England Patriots9 hours ago

Christian Barmore Expected To Be Ready For Offseason Workouts
9 hours ago

Saints Expected To Visit With Quinn Ewers
Jake Moody9 hours ago

49ers To Bring In Competition For Jake Moody
Pittsburgh Steelers10 hours ago

Steelers In Play To Draft A Running Back
Green Bay Packers12 hours ago

Packers Not Ruling Out Jaire Alexander Returning
Tennessee Titans12 hours ago

No. 1 Overall Pick Might Not Be For Sale
Kenny Pickett12 hours ago

Browns Feel Good About QB Situation, Kenny Pickett
Cleveland Browns12 hours ago

Browns Unlikely To Trade Up To No. 1 Overall For Cam Ward
Cincinnati Bengals12 hours ago

Bengals Still Working On Contract Extension With Trey Hendrickson
Dyami Brown13 hours ago

Jaguars Intrigued By Dyami Brown's Potential
Pittsburgh Steelers13 hours ago

All Options On The Table For Steelers At Quarterback
Bennedict Mathurin13 hours ago

Iffy For Wednesday
Myles Turner14 hours ago

May Miss Another Game Wednesday
Al Horford14 hours ago

Considered Doubtful Wednesday
Jrue Holiday14 hours ago

Questionable For Wednesday's Game
Kristaps Porzingis14 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Wednesday
Jaylen Brown14 hours ago

Could Remain On The Shelf Wednesday
Cade Cunningham14 hours ago

Likely Out For Fifth Straight Game
Anthony Davis14 hours ago

Probable Wednesday
Evan Bouchard16 hours ago

Tallies Two Assists In Victory
Jake Guentzel16 hours ago

Tallies Goal, Assist In Victory
Kirill Marchenko16 hours ago

Scores Hat Trick On Tuesday
Tage Thompson16 hours ago

Stays Hot On The Scoresheet
Lane Hutson16 hours ago

Dishes Out Three Helpers In Overtime Victory
Alex Ovechkin16 hours ago

Tallies Two Points In Victory
Cameron Young21 hours ago

A Player To Avoid At Valero Texas Open
Kurt Kitayama21 hours ago

In Search Of Consistency At Valero Texas Open
Si Woo Kim22 hours ago

Looking To Bounce Back At Valero Texas Open
Tom Hoge23 hours ago

Looking To Build Off Strong Performance At The PLAYERS Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick1 day ago

Looking For Consistency At Valero Texas Open
Corey Conners1 day ago

Continues Strong Form Ahead Of Valero Texas Open
Patrick Cantlay1 day ago

Eyeing Victory At Valero Texas Open
Gary Woodland1 day ago

Showing Great Form Ahead Of Valero Texas Open
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Aiming For Repeat At Valero Texas Open
Alejandro Tosti1 day ago

A Volatile Choice At TPC San Antonio
Guerschon Yabusele1 day ago

Out Against Knicks
Karl-Anthony Towns1 day ago

Sits Out Tuesday's Game
Jevon Carter1 day ago

Ruled Out Tuesday
Dalen Terry1 day ago

Unavailable Against Raptors
Julian Phillips1 day ago

Out On Tuesday
Jimmy Snuggerud1 day ago

Ready For NHL Debut Tuesday
Jacob Trouba1 day ago

Set To Rejoin Ducks Lineup Tuesday
Troy Terry1 day ago

On Track To Play Tuesday
Jonathan Marchessault1 day ago

Remains Out Against Blue Jackets
Alex Laferriere1 day ago

Expected To Return On Tuesday
Luke Schenn1 day ago

A Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Dante Fabbro1 day ago

Returns Against Predators
Olli Määttä1 day ago

Olli Maatta A Game-Time Call On Tuesday
Jordan Spieth1 day ago

Needs To Find Consistency At TPC San Antonio
Jake Knapp1 day ago

Making First Appearance At Valero Texas Open
Michael Kim1 day ago

Looking To Find The Magic Again In San Antonio
Tommy Fleetwood1 day ago

Is Nearly A Must-Play At Valero Texas Open
Tony Finau1 day ago

Hoping For Better Approach Play In San Antonio
Eric Cole2 days ago

Trending In Right Direction Ahead Of Valero
Sam Stevens2 days ago

Enjoys Nice Result In Houston
PGA2 days ago

J.T. Poston Seeks To Contend At Valero Texas Open
Denny McCarthy2 days ago

Keeps Making Cuts But Needs To Make More Putts
Brian Harman2 days ago

Off To A Subpar 2025 So Far
Ryan Preece2 days ago

Has Three Straight Top-10 Finishes For First Time In His Career
NASCAR2 days ago

Bubba Wallace After Third-Place Finish At Martinsville: "What a Great Day"
Todd Gilliland2 days ago

Has Mistake-Free Day At Martinsville, Grabs Another Top-10 Finish
Brandon Moreno2 days ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Steve Erceg2 days ago

Losses Third Consecutive Fight
Drew Dober2 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres2 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Harry Hall2 days ago

Bounces Back In Houston Last Week
CJ Vergara2 days ago

Gets Submitted
Édgar Cháirez2 days ago

Edgar Chairez Gets Submission Win At UFC Mexico City
Vince Morales2 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Mexico City
Raul Rosas Jr.2 days ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Mexico City
Saimon Oliveira2 days ago

Still Winless In The UFC
David Martinez2 days ago

Wins His UFC Debut
Kevin Borjas2 days ago

Earns His First UFC Win
Ronaldo Rodríguez2 days ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Suffers His First UFC Loss
Christopher Bell2 days ago

Powers His Way To A Second-Place Finish At Martinsville
Chase Elliott2 days ago

Strong Martinsville Performance Ends With A Top-Five Finish
Kyle Larson2 days ago

Collects A Top-Five Finish At Martinsville
William Byron3 days ago

Places 22nd After Struggles At Martinsville
Joey Logano3 days ago

Claims His First 2025 Top-10 Finish After Up-And-Down Performance
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Fails To Place In The Top 10 At Martinsville
Denny Hamlin3 days ago

Silences Doubters After Crew-Chief Change
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Earns Best 2025 Finish At Martinsville Despite Failing Cool Suit
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Has A Great Day At Martinsville
Chase Briscoe3 days ago

Has Solid Run At Martinsville
Erik Jones3 days ago

Disqualified At Martinsville For Weight Violation
Josh Berry4 days ago

Has Top-10 Upside At Martinsville
Joey Logano4 days ago

Don't Overlook Joey Logano This Weekend
Ryan Preece4 days ago

Could Get First Three-Race Top-10 Streak Of His Career
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Looking To Continue Great Runs At Martinsville
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Wins Pole At Martinsville, But Can He Stay Up There?
Ryan Blaney4 days ago

Fast In Practice But Skeptical About Car
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

New Crew Chief Has Terrible Martinsville Record
Steve Erceg5 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Brandon Moreno5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres5 days ago

Set For Co-Main Event
Drew Dober5 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Mexico City
Joe Pyfer5 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum5 days ago

Set For Middleweight Matchup
Vince Morales5 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Raul Rosas Jr.5 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Saimon Oliveira5 days ago

Looks For His First UFC Win
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 2: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2025)

Week 2 of the UFL season is just around the corner. This week will feature one game on Friday, one game on Saturday, and two on Sunday. Birmingham and Michigan will play at 8:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, followed by Memphis-D.C. on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Sunday's game pits the 1-0 Renegades against the […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Picks, Draft Sleepers

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings: Overvalued, Undervalued Players (2025)

Dynasty fantasy football rankings constantly shift, especially as we inch closer to the new season and fantasy drafts. Dynasty managers know the importance of finding those underrated players who could be steals in drafts or trades. They also know some players are overhyped due to unsustainable trends or past production. I'll break down two overvalued […]


Justin Fields - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Best Fantasy Football Moves During 2025 NFL Free Agency

It has been a wild offseason so far in the NFL. Plenty of players have switched teams in free agency, and some stars were even traded. Deebo Samuel Sr. was dealt to the Washington Commanders, Geno Smith was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, and DK Metcalf has a new home with the Pittsburgh Steelers. These […]


Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Three Aging Fantasy Football Players To Sell In Dynasty Leagues

It's hard to always know when to sell off your aging fantasy football players. Often, it's also difficult to accept that it's better to move on from a player when he's coming off a productive season and still has a lot left in the tank. But I believe it's better to be a year early […]


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Sleepers

Five Fantasy Football Superflex Quarterback Breakouts, Draft Targets (2025)

If you’ve ever played in a Superflex fantasy football league, then you know how important quarterbacks are in this format. The ability to start multiple stud quarterbacks can carry you to a Superflex title. Unfortunately, finding two such players isn’t so easy. All the top signal-callers come off draft boards first, and that makes it […]


Omarion Hampton - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Ideal Landing Spots For The Top 12 Fantasy Football Rookies - 2025 NFL Draft

Then, the NFL Draft continues to inch closer and closer. This is a very interesting class, with a handful of players who could be stars in the NFL and reshape fantasy football leagues going forward. Here are the ideal landing spots for the top 12 fantasy football rookies. These picks exist in conversation with each […]


Jalen Coker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Eight Best Ball Late Round Value Fantasy Football Players To Target For 2025

Fantasy football is the most popular game in all of sports. It has gone from a paper-and-pen game to a multi-million dollar-a-year one. While redraft leagues are the most popular form of fantasy football, best ball leagues are quickly gaining steam. The best part of best ball leagues is the ability to draft thousands of […]


Abdul Carter - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 10 Fantasy Football Edge Rusher Prospects

Edge rusher is the most important, most coveted, and most highly-paid position on defense in the NFL. It stands to reason that the most important position in the entire game being quarterback, and by a wide margin, means the most important position on defense are the players that are tasked with disrupting opposing QBs as […]


Brock Purdy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

Brock Purdy Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook and Trade Value

Despite becoming the all-time leading passer for the Iowa State Cyclones, Brock Purdy wasn't a highly touted prospect due to his perceived lack of athleticism. The 49ers picked him with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but Mr. Irrelevant quickly proved everyone wrong. In his first two years, he started in back-to-back NFC […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Scouting NFL Draft Prospects!

Michael F Florio goes over some of the top prospects from this years NFL Draft. Florio talks about what he looks for when watching prospect tape and explains what traits translate best to the NFL level. Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) on Sundays from 6-7 am. You can […]


Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Buy or Sell: Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, Jordan Mason

One year ago, we discussed the futures of Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Aaron Jones as those free agents found new homes. This year's headliners are Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, and Jordan Mason. Not quite the same. Still, with every transaction come implications for dynasty fantasy football rosters across the globe. Below, we […]


Romeo Doubs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Undervalued NFC Draft Targets

While the 2025 fantasy football redraft season is still several months away, there is no such thing as being too prepared for your fantasy draft. Fantasy football is year-round, even for those who only play in redraft leagues. The landscape of fantasy football will change between today and the start of redraft season, with the […]


Detroit Lions Defense, Aidan Hutchinson - Fantasy Football DST Rankings, Streamers, IDP Sleepers

2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers: Five Draft Targets

It's notably difficult to identify sleepers in fantasy football IDP leagues. The skill of the players in question is very important, but situation also plays a large factor, as does a recent history of injuries. Rather than bucketing them into groups, it's better to analyze each one individually, look at where they are in terms […]