Josh Allen vs. Jalen Hurts - Who Should I Draft in 2024 Fantasy Football?

May 24, 2024

Should fantasy football players draft Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts during their 2024 fantasy drafts? Dave Ventresca examines the case for both superstar quarterbacks.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen finished as the overall QB1 in 2024. He was also the top quarterback in terms of fantasy points per game (PPG). Allen provided gamers with a nice advantage at the position, as he averaged nearly 2.5 PPG more than the second-place finisher.

The quarterback who finished second in both categories? That would be Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller Jalen Hurts.

Both players are fantastic options, but which one should fantasy gamers draft in 2024? Let’s have a quick dialogue to answer this question.

Josh Allen’s 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook

Allen finished with a career-high 15 rushing touchdowns last year.

Does Josh Allen fake a slide on this rushing touchdown? 😳

pic.twitter.com/9KbknpKvCs

— NFL Notifications (@NFLNotify) January 15, 2024

The Bills offense has been revamped this offseason. Last year’s starting wide receivers, Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, are gone. The club signed veteran Curtis Samuel in free agency and selected rookie Keon Coleman in April’s draft. While these additions help offset its losses, it’s hard to say this receiving corps is better than last year. That’s a concern right off the bat for Allen.

We also have to factor in Buffalo’s offensive coordinator. Joe Brady took over play-calling duties last year after Ken Dorsey was fired following a Week 10 loss to the Denver Broncos. From then on, Allen only averaged 32.7 passing attempts and 243.7 passing yards per game. Both marks were lower under Brady than they were previously under Dorsey. Brady takes over full-time this season. He was committed to running the ball more often, and that is a concern regarding Allen’s passing output.

Despite these potential issues, Allen’s rushing production should be enough to keep him in play as the top fantasy quarterback.

Jalen Hurts’ 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook

Hurts would have been the overall QB1 in 2022 had a knee injury not forced him to miss two games. He did finish first in quarterback PPG that year, so an overall QB1 finish is always possible. Like Allen, Hurts' rushing abilities have helped him become an elite fantasy quarterback. Since taking over as the full-time starter, Hurts has averaged over 12 rushing touchdowns per season.

Jalen Hurts with 55 total yards and a rushing touchdown on the opening drive!

9.16 fantasy points already 😤 pic.twitter.com/W2lZ9jJeaC

— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) December 19, 2023

Hurts also has a new offensive coordinator this year. The Eagles fired Brian Johnson and replaced him with former Cowboys and Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

The #Eagles are expected to hire #Chargers OC Kellen Moore to be their new coordinator, per me and @TomPelissero. One of the top OCs around, Moore was blocked from all interviews until Jim Harbaugh was hired.

He quickly lands in Philly after an interview in Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/MZfW16vkmx

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 28, 2024

Moore has never coached a player like Hurts. A quarterback in Moore’s offense has never rushed for more than 277 yards in a season. That figures to change this year. However, Moore’s system has traditionally been pass-heavy and has averaged 614 passing attempts a year. That would far and away be a career high for Hurts.

So, it’s a little uncertain what exactly this offense looks like in 2024, but it’s hard to see Moore completely moving away from Hurts as a rusher, given the effectiveness. Even if there is some drop in rushing production, the increase in passing volume should be enough for Hurts to remain a fantasy football stud.

Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?

Allen currently has an average draft position (ADP) of about 21st overall in National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) drafts. Hurts is coming off draft boards almost a full round later with an ADP of approximately 32nd overall.

Both players are Tier 1 quarterbacks, and each has their own concerns. However, Hurts just feels like the better value. They have the exact same ceiling, and it's hard to recommend taking Allen a full round earlier. If you want one of these two, the preferred play is to bypass Allen at ADP and select Hurts later in drafts.

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