Fantasy Football: 5 Quarterbacks With Rushing Upside in 2017
Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
Projected Fantasy Points: 39.56
After three seasons, Blake Bortles has all the indications of being a bust. He has completed just 58.8% of pass attempts, but his 51 total interceptions is even more telling of a player who's struggled through his first three years in the league. If there's one positive, though, it's that Bortles knows how to use his athleticism at the next level.
He's tallied at least 310 rushing yards in each of his three seasons, while also compiling a career average of 6.6 yards per rush. He managed to post the fifth-highest Rushing NEP per attempt among quarterbacks with 20-plus rushes in 2016, but things may be changing this year. With Leonard Fournette on board and run-happy head coach Doug Marrone leading the Jacksonville Jaguars, will things be better or worse for Bortles' rushing contributions?
Our projections -- which pin Bortles for 50 attempts on the ground -- expect him to total 258 yards and 2.53 touchdowns, good for 15.7% of his overall fantasy output.
He's currently being drafted in the 14th round of standard 12-team leagues as the QB22. However, if Bortles were to fulfill our models' expectations, that would make him QB18 and yet another quarterback bringing more than just passing production to the table.
