I like to keep an eye on the various crowdsourced player values. Knowing where the market is (whether I disagree with it or not) helps me make decisions on who to buy, who to sell, and who to hold. As I was checking the various sources recently, a player comparison caught my eye, and I wanted to drill into it more.
So, to that end, I'm going to name the two players, and I want you to pay attention to your immediate instincts once I do. Pop quiz: who's the better quarterback to roster in dynasty leagues, Lamar Jackson or Caleb Williams?
If You Said Jackson
Congratulations, you're in good company. Jackson is a three-time MVP (yes, I said three; in this column we count all major national awards, which means Jackson gets credit for his Pro Football Writers of America MVP in 2024). He is one of two quarterbacks in history to average 22 points per game from Years 2 through 8 (Josh Allen is the other, and Patrick Mahomes II, Jalen Hurts, Aaron Rodgers, and Andrew Luck are the only other guys above 20 ppg).
Jackson has the highest career passer rating in history (102.7) and is the only quarterback to average more than 50 yards per game rushing (55.6).
Unfortunately, this was the wrong answer.
If You Said Williams
Congratulations, you're in good company. Williams is a former #1 overall pick in his third season, and he's been on an incredible upward trajectory for his entire career. The only first-round quarterbacks who were more efficient than Williams in their sophomore season (by era-adjusted ANY/A) were Dan Marino, Patrick Mahomes II, Carson Palmer, Peyton Manning, Joe Burrow, and Bernie Kosar, which is a heck of a list.
Williams plays for one of the best offensive minds in the league in head coach Ben Johnson, and Footballguys' rest-of-season projections currently rank him 2nd among quarterbacks in points per game (behind Allen and very slightly ahead of Jackson). He's also nearly five years younger than Jackson.
Unfortunately, this was also the wrong answer.
So What Was The Right Answer?
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