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Craig Rondinone analyzes which quarterbacks were breakout stars in fantasy football during the 2020 NFL season. These QBs could be great draft values next season.
Fantasy football general managers put a lot of stock in young quarterbacks, and their 2020 fantasy seasons were successful if they picked the right quarterbacks to ride.
There were some signal-callers fantasy footballers probably thought would have breakout years in 2020. New York’s Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones took steps back, though, while Chicago’s Mitchell Trubisky lost his starting spot early in the year before showing signs of fantasy worth over the final month of the season. Thank goodness three quarterbacks, including two former No. 1 picks overall, realized their potential and delivered numbers that probably propelled millions of fantasy teams to league championships, shiny trophies, and plenty of prize money.
Here is a look at the trio of quarterbacks who took their games and their fantasy values to the next level in 2020!
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Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
2020 Stats: 4,544 Passing yards, 37 touchdown passes, 10 interceptions
Fantasy general managers knew Allen was a multi-dimensional threat who could pile up points with his legs more often than he did with his arm. He was a dismal passer in his rookie campaign when he threw more interceptions than touchdown passes and was a mediocre passer at best during his sophomore season as he did not even average 200 passing yards per game. Then suddenly during Allen’s third professional season, the switch flipped.
Allen was arguably fantasy football’s Most Valuable Player for 2020. While giving fantasy managers 421 rushing yards and eight touchdowns when he tucked the ball and barreled over defenders with his linebacker-like frame, Allen added 4,544 passing yards and 37 touchdown tosses, numbers that ranked him in the top-five among quarterbacks in both categories. Many fantasy pundits and players thought Allen would improve his passing in his third year, but not many expected this precipitous jump. He averaged almost 100 additional passing yards per game, completed an ungodly 11 percent more pass attempts, and bumped up his QB rating by 22 points from the previous season.
Buffalo helped Allen out immensely by trading for top target Stefon Diggs, who gave Allen a true No. 1 WR he immediately jelled with. Allen heads into the 2021 NFL season as one of the best gets in fantasy football. He is the only QB in the league who can be labeled as one of the top-five passing threats AND one of the top-five running threats at the position. Are 5,000 passing yards and 40 touchdown passes out of the realm of possibility for Allen? Not with the way he has improved so rapidly over his first three seasons.
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
2020 Stats: 3,971 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions
The first pick overall in the 2019 NFL draft had a decent rookie season. He started every game, threw for 3,722 yards and 20 touchdowns, and dashed for another 544 yards and four scores using his sprinter speed and super scrambling ability. Fantasy footballers wanted more, though. Murray only had two games where he accounted for three touchdowns and had six games where he threw for less than 200 yards. There was room for improvement.
Murray’s makeup changed in 2020. Blessed with Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins by the Cardinals' front office and given the green light to run more by head coach Kliff Kingsbury, Murray was not the scattershot thrower and poor decision-maker he was the year prior. Murray threw for six more touchdowns and 259 yards in Year Two, but the biggest stat gains were made on the ground. Murray’s 819 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns elevated him to first-round fantasy status since even on poor passing days, he could provide fantasy players with numbers that could win them their games.
Murray will continue as the focal point and franchise player in Arizona’s high-flying offense. I could certainly see him taking another step forward with his passing in his third year, just like the aforementioned Allen did. Murray will be in high demand in fantasy leagues when Labor Day weekend fantasy drafts are held. The sky is the limit for this multifaceted phenom.
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns
2020 Stats: 3,563 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes, eight interceptions
There were many fantasy football managers who did not have Mayfield high on their cheat sheets and draft lists last August, and with good reason. Cleveland’s brash quarterback took a step back in his second season as his 22-to-21 touchdown-to-interception ratio did no fantasy favors for anyone. He had more funny commercials than four-touchdown games in 2019 and possibly had more doubters than supporters entering 2020.
Many things went Mayfield’s way this past year though that helped him have the best year of his short career. Cleveland overhauled its coaching staff, the Browns had one of the best tailback tandems (Nick Chubb and Kareen Hunt) plus arguably the best offensive line the league, and a deep plethora of receivers and tight ends that held up even after Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the season.
Mayfield righted his career and led Cleveland to the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. The Browns’ run-first offense might stunt Mayfield’s numbers and fantasy worth in 2021, but he should be a high-end QB2 in fantasy formats and could round into a QB1 if he keeps throwing to the players in the brown jerseys instead of the ones in the opposing outfits. 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes are in Mayfield’s fantasy wheelhouse for next season.
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