Trey Lance will start the first game of his career today, and no doubt there will be a lot of scrambles. At this point, that’s what he does best.

Lance is big (6-4, 224), and he can really move. In a half against Seattle, he carried 7 times for 41 yards, plus a 2-point conversion run late in the game. The previous week, he ran in a touchdown against the Packers.

With Lance being an unpolished 21-year-old, they’ll likely look to limit what they ask him to do as a passer. If he’s going to elevate that offense (or have much value for fantasy purposes) it will be fueled by what he’s doing running the ball.

In the 2019 season at North Dakota state, Lance ran for 1,100 yards and 14 TDs (in 16 games).

In the Super Bowl era, 18 quarterbacks in their first pro starts have run for at least 50 yards. I think we’ll see Lance joining that group today.

QUARTERBACKS RUNNING FOR 50 YARDS IN FIRST START
YearPlayerOppResultAttYdsAvgTD
2018Lamar Jackson, Balt.CINW 24-21261194.60
2020Jalen Hurts, Phil.NORW 24-21181065.90
1985Randall Cunningham, Phil.RAML 6-1710909.00
2010Tim Tebow, Den.at OAKL 23-398789.81
2000Daunte Culpepper, Min.CHIW 30-2713735.63
2017Deshaun Watson, Hou.at CINW 13-956713.41
1990Rich Gannon, Min.TAML 20-239657.20
1998Charlie Batch, Det.at MINL 6-298637.90
1985Steve Young, T.B.DETW 19-1610606.00
1984Art Schlichter, Ind.NWEL 17-5045914.81
2013Chase Daniel, K.C.at SDGL 24-277598.40
1970Mike Phipps, Clev.at CINL 10-1445714.30
1985Bruce Mathison, Buff.HOUW 20-055711.41
2019Gardner Minshew, Jac.at HOUL 12-136569.30
2020John Wolford, LARARIW 18-76569.30
2011Stephen McGee, Dall.at PHIW 14-139556.10
2003Dave Ragone, Hou.at JAXL 0-2755110.20
2011Caleb Hanie, Chi.at OAKL 20-2555010.00
2021Trey Lance, S.F.at Ariz.?????

Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com

—Ian Allan