Few rookie quarterbacks make an impact on fantasy football. Players such as Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Justin Herbert, and C.J. Stroud are all outliers separated by several years.
Stroud's recent success as a rookie has many fantasy managers wondering if Caleb Williams could experience similar success. For every C.J. Stroud, there are several Bryce Youngs.
Williams is stepping into a better situation than most rookie quarterbacks, let alone No. 1 picks. Williams should develop into a fine NFL quarterback but let's explore his fantasy prospects in 2024.
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Caleb Williams 2024 Fantasy Outlook
Given the weapons around him, unless Williams is completely lazy, there is just about no reason why he will not develop into an excellent quarterback. He will likely even flash greatness in 2024 but his consistency could be erratic, especially in fantasy.
The C.J. Stroud recency bias is real, and one could argue that Williams is walking into a better situation than Stroud did in 2023. As good as Stroud was in 2023, he still finished outside the top 10 at the position in 10 of his 15 starts. Those aren't exactly numbers that will help your fantasy team. We are talking about a player who led the league in passing yards per game, but due to a lack of rushing upside, he did not carry your fantasy team.
The best fantasy quarterbacks either have other-worldly passing numbers or they supplement their passing with solid to elite rushing ability. Rushing yards and touchdowns are worth more points in fantasy than passing yards and touchdowns. As such, players like Justin Fields are more valuable than players like Kirk Cousins.
Expect Williams to have a higher rushing floor than Stroud, and potentially match that of someone like Justin Herbert, but don't expect Jalen Hurts numbers.
Overall, Williams will likely experience growing pains throughout the season, which will be alleviated by his pass-catching core. However, it is difficult to project a 4,108-yard 23-touchdown season like Stroud's, given the long history of up-and-down rookie quarterback play. Williams will be a fine streamer, especially as the season wears on and he gets his legs under him. He would not be my pick to be my QB1 in fantasy, but if I miss out on one of the top fantasy quarterbacks, Williams is a player I will monitor throughout the season.
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