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NFL - The Athletic fantasy football takes on Lamar Jackson
Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from NFL - The Athletic about Lamar Jackson.
12
Insights
6
Positive
3
Negative
Insight ledger
All NFL - The Athletic insights about Lamar Jackson
PositiveProjectionSep 15, 2026
The source identifies Lamar Jackson as a quarterback who could reach new levels of performance in the 2026 season, suggesting upside potential beyond current expectations.PositiveProjectionSep 14, 2026
Lamar Jackson is healthy again and described as a marvel whose sleight of hand will confuse defenses; the source emphasizes his elite playmaking ability and readiness to perform at his standard level.PositiveProjectionSep 13, 2026
Jackson passed for over 300 yards in Baltimore's season-opening 41-point victory over Indianapolis, demonstrating early-season efficiency and offensive dominance.PositiveProjectionSep 13, 2026
Lamar Jackson passed for over 300 yards in the season opener against Indianapolis, demonstrating strong early-season performance in the Ravens' dominant victory.PositiveProjectionSep 13, 2026
Lamar Jackson missed the playoffs last season and faces a huge season ahead; the source frames Week 1 as a critical juncture for him to break through and compete for playoff contention.NegativeProjectionSep 8, 2026
Lamar Jackson is mentioned among the top MVP contenders alongside Josh Allen and Joe Burrow, indicating he is in consideration for the award.NegativeRoleSep 2, 2026
Lamar Jackson's contract status remains unresolved heading into the new league year in March; if Baltimore and Jackson don't reach an agreement by then, the team could face a significant decision regarding his future with the franchise.PositiveProjectionAug 4, 2026
Jackson still commanded 22 votes in Tier 1, one off his career high before last season. An offensive coach who placed Jackson in Tier 1 said he feels good about him, noting that he has a really good coach in Declan Doyle who has a lot to prove, that Lamar took part in more of the offseason program, and that the team will likely do the contract with him and he will have a big year.NegativeProjectionAug 4, 2026
An offensive coordinator said the arrow is probably down for Jackson and is not ready to give him a Tier 2 ranking yet because if he doesn't play well, the Ravens don't win games and he has been able to carry that roster no matter what the rest of it looked like, even last year. However, the coordinator believes if Jackson stops running, he drops into Tier 2, and while he can win games and be an elite quarterback without running, he is not a Tier 1 without running.NegativeInjuryAug 4, 2026
Back and hamstring injuries surely played a role in Jackson's reduced rushing production and designed rush rate last season. New coordinator Declan Doyle plans to put Jackson under center more, but the team hasn't been specific about its plans for Jackson as a runner.NegativeUsageAug 4, 2026
Jackson's rate of designed rushes plummeted to 7.1 percent last season, less than half his career average. Early in a November game at Cleveland, the Ravens called a zone-read for Jackson, but Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger strung him out near the sideline for a 1-yard loss, and Baltimore called no more designed QB rushes that day. Jackson won MVP honors with both his previous coordinators (Greg Roman and Todd Monken), but it wasn't until last season under the new coordinator that his designed rush rate collapsed.NegativeProjectionAug 4, 2026
Jackson made his Tier 1 debut last year but slipped back to the top of Tier 2 after failing to threaten defenses as much with his legs in 2025. His rushing yards per game fell by about 50 percent year over year, and his total of Tier 1 votes fell proportionally. An opposing coach expressed uncertainty about how much Jackson wants to run and take hits anymore, noting that he can't be special without the threat of a run and that he needs to be more active when he does run, as he used to outrun defenders but now doesn't always move with purpose.