Will Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence be a fantasy football bust?

There are different ways to enjoy an NFL game and playing fantasy football is one of them. There are a few Jacksonville Jaguars players that could have productive fantasy seasons. Wide receivers DJ Chark Jr. and Laviska Shenault Jr. could be a couple of enticing picks. James Robinson will now have to share the backfield with rookie Travis Etienne but he could be another solid selection. What about rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence?

Tommy Garrett of Pro Football Network recently put together a list of nine potential fantasy football busts in 2021 and Lawrence made the cut. Other players that made the list were Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs.

Garrett believes that Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert had an outstanding rookie campaign in 2020 and the Clemson product should be able to top it after “been anointed as the next Andrew Luck”. However, he doesn’t think he may be able to do it. Garrett points out that eight quarterbacks have been drafted first overall since 2020 and only three of them have finished inside the top 12 in fantasy points. He goes on to say that number one overall quarterbacks rank 16th on average in their rookie campaign.

Also, Garrett thinks the current state of the Jaguars may not help Lawrence produce top numbers from a fantasy standpoint.

"There is a reason the Jaguars had the No. 1 overall pick in the first place. Throw in the fact they have a brand new head coach who is making the leap from college to the pros, and the deck is stacked against Trevor Lawrence."

Trevor Lawrence won’t be a fantasy football bust in 2021.

Sure, the expectations surrounding Trevor Lawrence on the football field are high. Nevertheless, fantasy football is a whole different deal. You will be hard-pressed to find someone who will select him early in their fantasy draft. When you think of top fantasy picks, there are at least 50 players that will be selected before the former Tiger. There’s a good chance he will turn into an outstanding player down the road but there are other players you should definitely take ahead of him in your fantasy league.

Among those that will get drafted early in several leagues, you will find Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and even Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. When it comes to the quarterback position, there are at least 15 better options than Lawrence, so how can a middle or late fantasy pick qualify as a bust?

In fact, Trevor Lawrence could have plenty of upside in fantasy football down the road. The Jaguars have a well-rounded wide receiver corps. Even if they don’t win enough games, the rookie quarterback will spread the ball around, which could lead to solid fantasy production. Nevertheless, he may be better to wait one year to see if he becomes a top fantatsy pick.