Jalen Hurts is a perennial QB1 and Super Bowl champion. Yet, he’s often criticized and talked about as if he is not one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. Are these criticisms backed by the data? And does it matter for the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback’s fantasy value?
Should You Draft Jalen Hurts in Fantasy Football?
Ever since taking over for Carson Wentz as the Eagles QB1, Hurts has been a QB1 in fantasy. From 2021-2024, Hurts averaged essentially 21 fantasy points per game every season, except for his overall QB1 finish in 2022 when he posted 25.2 PPG. While he never quite had the same ceiling as Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson, Hurts was right up there as an elite QB1 every season.
A big part of why Hurts has been subject to enhanced criticism is how he scores his fantasy points. From 2021-2024, Hurts recorded 10+ rushing touchdowns every season. Many of those scores were Tush Pushes, which can be viewed as “cheap.” But they were projectable and count just the same. However, things did take a bit of a turn last season.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. Hurts was not a bad fantasy quarterback in 2025. He still averaged 18.7 PPG and finished inside the top 10. It was his worst fantasy season as a starter, but only viewed negatively because the expectations have been so high. Yet, there were some noticeable changes.
We know how valuable rushing is for quarterbacks in fantasy. 27.5% of Hurts’ fantasy points last season came from his legs. The problem is Hurts doesn’t really like to run, despite it being a strength of his. And last season, he did it less than ever.
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Hurts averaged 26.3 rushing yards per game, by far a career low. During his peak 2021 and 2022 years, Hurts was over 50 yards per game on the ground. He also “only” scored eight times, as the Tush Push was not nearly as effective last season following Jason Kelce’s retirement. It was still useful, just not quite as automatic as it was previously.
Hurts did throw for a career-high 25 touchdowns, but also had a career-high 5.5% touchdown rate. While that’s not necessarily at a level that’s unsustainable, it is higher than his 4.6% career average.
The problem for Hurts has always been volume. He averaged 28.3 pass attempts per game last season, which was actually a significant step forward from 2024 when he was at a paltry 24.1. In 2022 and 2023, Hurts was over 30 attempts per game.
Another part of the problem was offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who ran one of the most uncreative and ineffective schemes you will ever see from a football team. There are high schools with better offensive systems. New OC Sean Mannion should offer a much more dynamic approach that caters to the strengths of his players.
But perhaps the biggest change for Hurts is the loss of A.J. Brown. Any time you take a great player away from a quarterback, it’s a negative. However, Hurts and Brown, by Brown’s own admission, had grown apart over the years. They didn’t have the connection they once did, and it showed last season. Perhaps this is a positive. Plus, it’s not as if the Eagles are lacking for talent.
DeVonta Smith is every bit capable of being a true alpha. Makai Lemon should step into the WR2 role previously occupied by Smith. Dallas Goedert remains a reliable tight end and rookie Eli Stowers should kind of be what Goedert was to Zach Ertz early in his own tenure. There’s a lot to like about this offense.
Hurts’ Redraft Fantasy Football Value
In recent seasons, it’s been more viable to spend premium draft capital on a quarterback than during the 2010s. The rise of the mobile QB has resulted in the elite fantasy quarterbacks not only having higher ceilings, but being more predictable year over year.
For the better part of the past half-decade, that included Hurts. This year, Hurts is going off the board as the QB6 with an overall ADP as low as its been since he became established as a perennial QB1. Allen is the best QB in fantasy, but is he really three full rounds better than Hurts?
The running back position really falls off a cliff after the fifth round. The wide receivers are still solid into the middle of drafts, but the position is very flat. There’s not really an advantage gained by taking the WR18 compared to the WR30. These factors combine to make taking someone like Hurts much more interesting, especially at his reduced price.
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At the same time, quarterback is as deep as ever. There are several quarterbacks with QB1 upside and even legitimate top five upside going outside the top 12. Hurts has proven top three upside, but is he five or six rounds better than Jordan Love or Malik Willis? That will be up to you to decide.
Elite, difference-making QBs matter. We know Allen will provide that, but you have to pay for it. Are we ready to say that Hurts is no longer at that level?
Ultimately, fantasy managers should treat Hurts like he is a value at his ADP. We have him ranked at QB6, which is above consensus. Yet, that doesn’t mean you should jump at the chance to draft him.
As always, the decision of when to take a quarterback rests on the opportunity cost of passing on the other positions. If Hurts falls below his ADP, he’s probably worth grabbing. But at cost, given the depth of the position, you may be better off waiting.
Hurts’ Dynasty Fantasy Football Value
The dynasty situation for Hurts is really a fascinating one. Even though he won a Super Bowl just two years ago and, by all accounts, has been one of the most successful quarterbacks of the modern era, Hurts is not guaranteed to be the Eagles’ starting quarterback in 2027 and beyond. If he has a down year, the team may very well move on.
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Regardless, it’s hard to see any scenario where Hurts isn’t a starting quarterback for the foreseeable future. At just 28 years old, even with his age cliff being sooner as a mobile quarterback, Hurts still has at least 4-5 top years left. While that’s meaningfully less than his pocket passer contemporaries, it’s still plenty of runway for dynasty managers.
We have Hurts at QB9 in dynasty. It’s a drop from where he’s been in past seasons, but still firmly in QB1 territory. If the Hurts manager in your league is feeling anxious about the future, perhaps now is the time to swoop in and secure a surefire QB1 for the next half decade.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.