Jaguars Fantasy Football Preview: Quarterbacks

6/22/2016

Here is the first part of our Jaguars fantasy football preview series. Here we focus on the quarterback position.

By Jordan de Lugo - @jordandelugo

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The Jacksonville Jaguars became hugely fantasy relevant on offense last season for the first time in a long time. There were multiple players at multiple positions that had fantasy impacts in 2015, but can the Jaguars do it again in 2016? Well for Blake Bortles, who had the greatest fantasy season a Jaguars QB has ever had, the answer is yes, but to what extent.

Bortles threw for 35 TDs in 2015, good for second in the entire NFL. He also threw for over 4,400 yards. Each of these numbers is really impressive and lead to Bortles being a Top 10 fantasy QB in 2015. Bortles main negative in terms of fantasy is his INT problem. He threw 18 interceptions last season, costing fantasy owners a fairly large amount of points. He also threw a staggering amount of passes in 2015, 38 per game.

So, can Bortles be as good or better in fantasy football in 2016? The answer is likely yes. He won't have nearly as many attempts in 2016, due to what should be an improved rushing attack in Jacksonville. But other than that all signs point to a big season. He has two of the best young wide receivers in the game, plus a great supporting cast of receivers, and one of the five most talented tight ends in football. With another year under his belt, plus an improved offensive line, run game, and defense Bortles could be much more consistent in 2016 than he was in 2015.

Bortles TD total will likely go down at least a little bit from last season, but so will his INTs and sacks. Look for Bortles to be a Top 10 Fantasy Football QB again in 2016.

So, we know he's gonna be good, but where should you draft him?

If you're a Jaguars fan, which you probably are, then you probably play in a league with other Jaguars fans, which means one of you will probably overdraft Bortles, but you shouldn't. In regular, non Jaguars fans fantasy football leagues, Bortles will not be taken until after a lot of other guys just because of their names, but Bortles' game speaks for itself. He should be amongst the Top 10 QBs taken, but probably should go until after the 5th round. In terms of Daily Fantasy Sports Bortles will probably be a good value. His name is still less valued than some players that he clearly outperformed in 2015, so he could be a Top 10 Daily Fantasy option, with a cost that is closer to the middle of the pack.

Bortles Stat Prediction: 4,300 yards, 31 Passing TDs, 2 Rushing TDs, 13 INTs.

As with every other team in in the NFL the backup quarterbacks have literally no fantasy football relevance until an injury. Don't draft Chad Henne or Brandon Allen. If Bortles was to go down, it seems highly unlikely that Henne would be able to put up fantasy relevant numbers, based on what we've seen from him in the past. If Bortles and Henne both get injured then the Jags would turn to a rookie from Arkansas, Brandon Allen. You don't want Brandon Allen starting for the Jaguars in 2016.

Stay tuned for more Jaguars Fantasy Football Position Previews

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