Factoid

April 10, 2019

Running quarterbacks

Can Allen, Jackson, run their way to fantasy stardom?

I find Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson to be compelling quarterbacks. With both players, they look very likely to finish with difference-making rushing production. But they both also look pretty certain to finish with among the worst passing numbers.

Rushing production with quarterbacks is huge. It typically counts for about twice as much in most formats, which serves as a handicap against guys like Philip Rivers and Eli Manning, while helping quarterbacks like Tyrod Taylor and even Tim Tebow a few years back.

Consider the following quarterbacks. They’re the most productive running quarterbacks of this century who also finished with bottom-10 passing stats. I’m using per-game figures, and I’m using standard scoring. (For rushing production, that’s 6 points for a rushing touchdown and 1 for every 10 yards.)

For this study, I’m looking only at quarterbacks who started at least half the year. Lamar Jackson fell a game short of that threshold, but I wanted him in there, so in his case, I added in his postseason start.

So here you’re seeing 18 really good runners who were also bottom-10 passers. Eight of the 18 finished with top-10 overall fantasy numbers. The remaining guys (just over half) all finished between 12th and 18th. Again, per-game numbers. All of these quarterbacks averaged at least 5 fantasy points per game as runners.

GREAT RUNNERS / LESSER PASSERS
Year	Player	St	Pass	TDP	Run	TDR	Pts	Rk
2012	Robert Griffin III, Wash.	15	213	1.33	54	.47	24.2	5
2014	Russell Wilson, Sea.	16	217	1.25	53	.38	23.4	6
2018	Josh Allen, Buff.	11	182	.91	55	.73	22.8	13
2015	Tyrod Taylor, Buff.	14	217	1.43	41	.29	22.5	14
2013	Cam Newton, Car.	16	211	1.50	37	.38	22.5	7
2002	Michael Vick, Atl.	15	196	1.07	52	.53	22.4	5
2018	Lamar Jackson, Balt.	8	165	.88	76	.50	22.4	16
2016	Colin Kaepernick, S.F.	11	204	1.45	43	.18	21.5	13
2016	Tyrod Taylor, Buff.	15	202	1.13	39	.40	21.1	18
2013	Terrelle Pryor, Oak.	9	196	.78	61	.22	20.4	17
2011	Tim Tebow, Den.	11	150	1.00	57	.45	20.3	12
2006	Michael Vick, Atl.	16	155	1.25	65	.13	20.0	6
2000	Kordell Stewart, Pitt.	11	161	1.00	37	.55	19.0	9
2006	Vince Young, Tenn.	13	159	.85	41	.54	18.8	9
2004	Michael Vick, Atl.	15	154	.93	60	.20	18.7	16
2005	Michael Vick, Atl.	15	161	1.00	40	.40	18.6	7
2001	Kordell Stewart, Pitt.	16	194	.88	34	.31	18.4	12
2000	Cade McNown, Chi.	9	176	.78	36	.33	17.5	14

If you’re of the school of thought that Allen and Jackson will blossom somewhat as passers this year, you’ll want to be sure to draft them. Here are the other 15 quarterbacks from this century that averaged at least 5 rushing points per game. With this group, they all also were top-20 passers. All of these quarterbacks ranked in the top-9 in per-game scoring.

GREAT RUNNERS WHO CAN ALSO PASS
Year	Player	St	Pass	TDP	Run	TDR	Pts	Rk
2010	Michael Vick, Phil.	11	258	1.82	52	.82	30.5	1
2015	Cam Newton, Car.	16	240	2.19	40	.63	28.5	1
2011	Cam Newton, Car.	16	253	1.31	44	.88	27.8	4
2002	Donovan McNabb, Phil.	10	229	1.70	46	.60	26.8	1
2000	Daunte Culpepper, Minn.	16	246	2.06	29	.44	26.4	1
2018	Deshaun Watson, Hou.	16	260	1.63	34	.31	24.8	6
2012	Cam Newton, Car.	16	242	1.19	46	.50	24.5	4
2018	Cam Newton, Car.	14	243	1.71	35	.29	24.5	7
2002	Daunte Culpepper, Minn.	16	241	1.13	38	.63	24.2	2
2001	Daunte Culpepper, Minn.	11	237	1.27	38	.45	24.0	2
2011	Michael Vick, Phil.	13	254	1.38	45	.08	23.2	6
2017	Cam Newton, Car.	16	206	1.38	47	.38	22.9	4
2014	Cam Newton, Car.	14	223	1.29	39	.36	22.4	9
2000	Donovan McNabb, Phil.	16	210	1.31	39	.38	22.1	8
2003	Jeff Garcia, S.F.	13	208	1.38	25	.54	21.8	2

I am still working through players, but I expect both Allen and Jackson will wind up in the teens on my board – guys I would like to select as my second quarterback in a typical fantasy league.

—Ian Allan

Josh Allen Lamar Jackson

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