With the NFL football pool drafts fast approaching, the QMI Agency has taken a look at which players to choose and which to avoid.
At the start of the week, we’re taking a look at the quarterbacks.
The five best options
Few of the quarterbacks deserve to be picked in the first round. Patrick Mahomes is however one of the rare exceptions to the rule.
This one who has just initialed a contract worth more than half a billion will want to show that he is worth every dollar invested in him.
Despite an injury that caused him to miss two games last season, Mahomes has been very productive, including 26 touchdown passes. As there were no preseason games in 2020, the defenses may not be ready at the start of the season. If a quarterback can capitalize on it, it’s Mahomes.
In 2019, Lamar Jackson was the second highest paying player in a pool, with nine performances of 28 points or more.
In his third year in the Goodell Tour, the youngster could experience a slight dip, considering that his opponents have more material to study to counter him. However, it is very difficult to stop such a dangerous quarterback with his arms and legs. Moreover, it is not crazy to believe that Jackson will collect at least 12 majors on races in 2020.
Since playing in the NFL, Dak Prescott has been one of the highest paying hubs for pool fans.
He performs as good if not better than quarterbacks like Drew Brees or the Cam Newton of the heyday.
Prescott is expected to be even better this season for two reasons. First, he now has a prime target in CeeDee Lamb. Second, he will play under head coach Mike McCarthy. The latter allowed Aaron Rodgers to amass a lot of points for his rights holders when the two men worked together for the Green Bay Packers.
In 2020, the Bills claimed they wanted to be a ball possession team. A component that will undoubtedly serve Josh Allen.
The latter is a good passer, but it is his ability to run with the ball that is interesting for poolers. Last year, he scored around 36% of his points when he crossed the field with the ball in hand.
Russell Wilson’s biggest argument is that he doesn’t throw the ball enough. Still, he’s finished among the best quarterbacks for the pools in four of the past six seasons.
He also threw a minimum of 31 touchdown passes four times in the most recent five years. These two arguments should be enough to convince the purists.
Five shifts to avoid
After his 2018 season, all hopes were high for Mitchell Trubisky. He was bitterly disappointed in 2019 and he is on the verge of losing his starting job to Nick Foles. It should absolutely be avoided.
At 36, Aaron Rodgers is not getting any younger. Already in decline last year, the pivot will not improve his statistics with the poor receivers he has on hand. His offensive line is not very good either. In short, here is a cocktail that can only turn sour.
Jared Goff has disappointed many poolers in 2019 and will continue to do so in 2020. The 25-year-old will lead a transitional attack that has lost elements like Brandin Cooks and Todd Gurley.
The Jets’ offense is pretty moribund and Sam Darnold doesn’t have a lot of talented players to back him up. The good news is that he won’t be able to get mononucleosis for a second straight season.
For his second year in the NFL, Daniel Jones will have to deal with the conservative approach of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. It’s a safe bet that running back Saquon Barkley will often have the ball in his hands.
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