The NFL Draft has come and gone. These QBs’ stock were helped the most by what their teams did in the draft.
After what’s seemed like a long offseason the NFL Draft finally happened, and now we know the landing spots for all the rookies. There were some surprises, and some good landing spots for the rookies to produce right away. Some QBs were helped by their team’s draft picks and look to be in good shape for the upcoming year, and years to come. Let’s take a look at some of the QBs where their stock goes way up.
Jalen Hurts – Offensive Help on the Way
Carson Wentz was finally shipped out and even though the Eagles won’t name a starter, all signs lead to Hurts. For the second straight year the Eagles picked a WR in the 1st round, selecting Devonta Smith and hoping to have a go-to receiver now. On top of an elite receiver, the Eagles added OL Landon Dickerson and versatile RB Kenneth Gainwell.
Bringing in Smith takes pressure off of Jalen Reagor and gives a good one-two punch at WR. Dickerson is a great replacement for Jason Kelce in the future, and also can be played at guard while Kelce is still starting. Gainwell gives another option if Miles Sanders gets dinged up and is a versatile player that can play in the slot.
The Eagles are giving Hurts all the weapons to succeed this year and for the future. With his running ability Hurts is in line to be a top-10 fantasy football QB this year. With a strong year, Hurts could show that he is the QB of the future.
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Matt Ryan – Career Not Over yet?
The Falcons finally moved on from Dan Quinn and many subpar years after the run to the Super Bowl. The Falcons were in place to draft their next QB, but with the contract of Matt Ryan, they decided to get even more offensive help. The Falcons added a couple of offensive lineman in Jalen Mayfield and Drew Dalman with a couple more receiving options in uber athlete Kyle Pitts and sleeper Frank Darby.
The Falcons’ major issue was on defense, but with a couple of aging veterans on offense, they decided to use early picks on improving their offense that was ‘middle of the pack’ in scoring and yards per game. Opposing defenses will have issues deciding who to focus on with Julio Jones, Pitts, and Calvin Ridley on the field at the same time.
The Falcons also did not get another back to pair with Mike Davis. This leads me to believe they will not be as run-heavy as the Titans were under Arthur Smith. Ryan could have a resurgence and could provide a couple more top-12 fantasy football seasons at the tail end of his career.
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Lamar Jackson – Finally Some Elite Weapons?
Lamar Jackson was the MVP in 2019 and took a small step back in 2020 but was still a top-10 fantasy football QB. The Ravens have found great success in the last two years, but come the playoffs they fall short due to their inability to push the ball down the field consistently. The Ravens finished last in pass attempts in 2020 but 1st in rush attempts. To combat that, the Ravens picked two WRs Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace.
The Ravens wanted to change the run-pass ratio and help Lamar with receivers that excel at his strengths. He is very good in the intermediate passing game rather than deep down the field. Bateman, in 2019, had 50% of his targets between 10-19 yards and his highlights show his ability to make tough catches.
Wallace gives another option for Lamar as almost over 50% of his catches in college were contested. Lamar should be one of the top picks for MVP in 2021 as he now has all the pieces: top-12 RB, top-5 TE, field-stretching WR, and now an Alpha WR to command the middle of the field.
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Justin Herbert – Protecting the Franchise
Herbert exceeded all expectations in his rookie year and ended up receiving rookie of the year after throwing over 4,000 yards and 30 TDs. Even though Anthony Lynn was let go, the Chargers ended the season on a four game winning streak.
I personally wanted the Chargers to get a WR with their 1st pick in the NFL Draft, but they helped build a firm foundation for years to come. The Chargers picked one of the top OT in Rashawn Slater, a high potential WR in Josh Palmer, and TE Tre Mckitty.
In college, Slater played left and right tackle, so there is versatility; and in his last season played he allowed zero sacks. The Chargers lost Hunter Henry but brought in Jared Cook (who will most likely start this season) but Mckitty provides a young talent for the future at the position.
Keenan Allen is still a top WR and Mike Williams has shown potential but battled injuries and inconsistency. Palmer brings another WR option that had over a 17-yard depth of target and ratings above 90 in receiving per PFF. With a new coaching staff and adding offensive talent, Herbert is set up for the future and should be a top fantasy football option in all dynasty formats.
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The Eagles, Falcons, Ravens, and Chargers all used the draft wisely in helping their starting QBs. Questions were answered and now it is squarely on the QBs to be successful. Let me know what you think, and any other QBs you think I missed.
Brandon Haye
Brandon grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and works as a health insurance data analyst. He has no children, but two fur babies - Squirt and Brownie. He and his wife, Katie, spend their time playing poker and enjoying time with their pups. Brandon is a huge Michigan Wolverine and Jacksonville Jaguars fan. He at one time was in 77 fantasy leagues and loves the game of football. Brandon started writing for The Leauge Winners in 2021.