What is the dynasty outlook of Jalen Hurts?
By: Chris Moore (Twitter: @fantasy_moore)
Let’s start with the obvious, Jalen Hurts is the Quarterback of the future for the Eagles. Carson Wentz was atrocious for the Eagles this season, and it was clear a change needed to happen at the Quarterback position.
Hurts picked up a signature win for the Eagles in his first start against the Saints in Week 14, throwing for 167 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing 18 times for 106 yards. Against the Saints, Hurts showed the NFL how dangerous he is as a dual-threat. He provided the Eagles depleted offense with a new spark that they so desperately needed. Hurts then started the rest of the season for the Eagles and looks to be the Eagles starter for the next years to come.
ATHLETICISM
There is no question Jalen Hurts is very athletic, as the Eagles themselves pictured Hurts playing the Taysom Hill role for them when they drafted him.
We saw a small sample size this season of what Jalen Hurts can bring to an NFL offense. Looking at the player profiler, Hurts’ 40-yard dash and burst scores are above the 90th percentile for Quarterbacks. Both of these scores are considered extraordinary for a quarterback. In his four starts, Hurts has shown how athletic he is with his legs. He isn’t quite Lamar Jackson, but Jalen Hurts is a threat with his legs: Rushing for 354 yards and three touchdowns in four starts.
COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION
Jalen Hurts’ collegiate career consisted of monotonous ups and downs. Hurts had a strong freshman season for Alabama but was benched for teammate Tua Tagovailoa at the end of his second season.
Hurts then transferred to Oklahoma, where he put up career-best numbers in Lincoln Riley’s offense. Hurts threw for 3,851 yards and 32 passing touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,298 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns.
Hurts had his best college season at Oklahoma, finishing second in the Heisman voting for the 2019 campaign. Hurts would finish his collegiate career with 9,477 passing yards, 80 passing touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. Hurts was no stranger to finding the end zone throughout his college career, and we are seeing that translate in the NFL.
2020 season (per Pro Football Reference)
4 Games Started
77 Completions on 148 Attempts
1061 Passing Yards
6 Passing Touchdowns
4 Interceptions
63 Rushing Attempts for 354 yards and 3 Rushing Touchdowns
Fantasy QB35 on the season (112.5 total points)
FANTASY UPSIDE
He only started four games for the Eagles this year, but Hurts showed the kind of fantasy upside he can have if he played a full year.
In weeks 14-17 Hurts was the seventh best fantasy Quarterback, outscoring Justin Herbert, Deshaun Watson, and Russell Wilson, to name a few. Hurts showed the league how dangerous he is with his legs, rushing 63 times for 354 yards and three touchdowns in his four starts.
Jalen Hurts has the upside to finish as the highest fantasy scoring QB in any week, as he did this season in Week 15. Hurts finished as the highest-scoring fantasy Quarterback in Week 15 against the Cardinals, completing 24 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns. Hurts also had 63 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, proving he has QB1 upside anytime he touches the field.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
The only thing that is going to be stopping Jalen Hurts from fantasy stardom is the Eagles. There have been reports that Carson Wentz could be back for the Eagles next season since he is still under contract, but I don’t expect that to happen. I believe Carson Wentz will be traded this off-season as his relationship with the Eagles organization and Doug Pederson doesn’t seem mendable. The Eagles also look like they are committing to Jalen Hurts for the future, and the Carson Wentz era in Philadelphia appears to be over.
Jalen Hurts is the future for the Eagles at the quarterback position, and I think they will realize that this off-season. There’s no question the Eagles need to get Hurts some playmakers on the offense and fix the offensive line. But that should be addressed this off-season, and with the number six pick in the draft.
With that being said Hurts is a buy right now for me. In his four starts, Hurts finished as a top-15 fantasy quarterback in every week but week 17. Hurts’ rushing floor will make him a top-15 fantasy quarterback option each week and is why I view Jalen Hurts as a top 12 fantasy quarterback in 2021.
Hurts is my QB12 right behind Tom Brady and Joe Burrow. He showed us in four games this year what his fantasy ceiling can be, and I would be looking to buy him in any leagues I need a quarterback. The Eagles offense will only get better in the upcoming years, and we could potentially be seeing Jalen Hurts throwing to DeVonta Smith or Ja’Marr Chase next season. If he plays 16 games for the Eagles in 2021, Hurts will finish as a top-10 fantasy QB.
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