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Factoid

The amazing Deshaun Watson

Even short, rookie season one of all-time best

Deshaun Watson played in only seven games before tearing his ACL, but he set the NFL and the fantasy world on fire. He'll be one of the more exciting players to project when the 2018 season rolls around. Taking a look back on his shortened 2017, it was still one of the more amazing rookie campaigns by a quarterback.

Watson put up 21 total TDs in those seven games (19 passing, 2 rushing). You can go back through the past 40 years of first-round picks, and only six quarterbacks have put up more touchdowns in their rookie seasons. Two of those guys are or will be first-ballot Hall of Famers.

Way too soon to say that Watson will go on to have a great career. Robert Griffin didn't, and too soon to say on some of those other productive rookies. But pretty select company for Watson nonetheless, especially considering he didn't even start for half a season.

Rookie numbers of first-round quarterbacks from the past 40 years, sorted by total touchdowns, are shown below. (List cropped at 10 total TDs, which leaves off the other 2017 first-rounders, Mitchell Trubisky and Patrick Mahomes.)

FIRST-ROUND QUARTERBACKS, TOTAL TDS (1978-2017)
YearPkPlayerPaYdsPTDYdRRTDTDT
20111Cam Newton, Car.4051217061435
20151Jameis Winston, T.B.404222213628
20121Andrew Luck, Ind.437423255528
20122Robert Griffin III, Wash.320020815727
19981Peyton Manning, Ind.37392662026
198327Dan Marino, Mia.22102045222
201712Deshaun Watson, Hou.169919269221
20152Marcus Mariota, Tenn.281819252221
20101Sam Bradford, St.L.35121863119
20063Vince Young, Tenn.219912552719
20162Carson Wentz, Phil.378216150218
200411Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt.262117144118
20083Matt Ryan, Atl.344016104117
19955Kerry Collins, Car.27171474317
19901Jeff George, Ind.2152162117
200818Joe Flacco, Balt.297114180216
20037Byron Leftwich, Jac.281914108216
19991Tim Couch, Clev.244715278116
201432Teddy Bridgewater, Minn.291914209115
20091Matthew Stafford, Det.226713108215
20095Mark Sanchez, NYJ244412106315
19931Drew Bledsoe, N.E.24941582015
19932Rick Mirer, Sea.283312343315
20128Ryan Tannehill, Mia.329412211214
201222Brandon Weeden, Clev.338514111014
19797Phil Simms, NYG174313166114
201316EJ Manuel, Buff.197211186213
201112Christian Ponder, Minn.185313219013
200610Matt Leinart, Ariz.25471149213
201110Blaine Gabbert, Jac.22141298012
20021David Carr, Hou.25929282312
20023Joey Harrington, Det.2294124012
20143Blake Bortles, Jac.290811419011
201025Tim Tebow, Den.6545227611
200917Josh Freeman, T.B.185510161010
200232Patrick Ramsey, Wash.15399-1110
19943Heath Shuler, Wash.165810103010
19825Jim McMahon, Chi.15019105110

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index