Alright, so this Dak Prescott or Jalen Hurts question kept bugging me. Every time I started thinking about drafts or rankings, these two names popped up, side-by-side. Had to really sit down and hash it out for myself, figure out which way I was leaning based on what I actually looked into.
First thing I did, I just pulled up their numbers from last season. Didn’t get too fancy, just the main stuff: passing yards, touchdowns, interceptions. Crucially, I also looked hard at the rushing stats – yards and touchdowns on the ground. You gotta do that, especially with guys like these.
Looking at the Raw Stats
- Dak: Solid passer, usually racks up good yardage through the air when he’s healthy. Felt like his running has dropped off a bit compared to his early days, though. Still capable, but not his main weapon.
- Hurts: Man, those rushing numbers jump out. Lots of yards, and finding the endzone with his legs. That’s a huge bonus in fantasy. Passing was decent, maybe a bit less consistent week-to-week than Dak sometimes, but the potential is there.
Okay, stats give you a baseline. But fantasy isn’t just played on a spreadsheet, right? You gotta think about the actual teams, the situation they’re in.
Thinking About the Teams and Other Stuff
So I started mulling over their offenses.
- For Dallas, Dak’s got CeeDee Lamb, who’s obviously a beast. That connection is real. But what about the rest? The running game support? The offensive line situation? Seemed like there were more question marks there this year. Plus, Mike McCarthy calling plays again – how’s that going to look consistently?
- For Philly, Hurts has A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. That’s a nasty receiver duo. And you can’t forget the “Tush Push” or “Brotherly Shove” or whatever they call it now. That gives Hurts such an advantage near the goal line for easy scores. The big change is the offensive coordinator – Kellen Moore coming over from Dallas, ironically. How does that change Hurts’ game? Does he throw more? Run less? That’s a big unknown I had to consider.
Then, the big one for both these guys: staying healthy.
Can They Stay on the Field?
You can’t ignore it. Dak had that major ankle injury a few years back and other knocks since. Hurts dealt with a shoulder issue late last season and played through stuff. It’s a tough calculation. Which guy carries more risk of missing time? Both have flags, honestly. It’s part of the gamble.
I spent some time just watching some game film cuts from last year too. Not breaking down complex schemes, just getting a feel. Dak standing tall in the pocket, ripping it. Hurts extending plays, taking off, fighting for those extra yards.
So, Where I Landed…
After going through all that – looking at the numbers, thinking about the offensive setups, the coaching, the injury histories – I had to make a choice, at least for my own planning.
Right now, I find myself leaning towards Jalen Hurts. Here’s the simple thinking behind it:
- That rushing ability provides such a safe floor for fantasy points. Even if he has an average day passing, he can salvage it with his legs.
- Those designed runs and sneaks near the goal line translate into touchdowns that Dak just doesn’t have the same access to. Those points add up fast.
- Yes, the new offensive coordinator adds uncertainty, but the weapons around him are still elite, and Moore might even unlock more passing upside.
Look, this doesn’t mean Dak is chopped liver. Far from it. He could absolutely go out and have a massive season, especially throwing to Lamb. If he stays healthy and that offense clicks, he’ll be great. It was a genuinely tough comparison.
But for me, going through the process, weighing the guaranteed rushing production and touchdown upside of Hurts against the potential volatility and injury concerns for both, Hurts just felt like the slightly safer bet with a massive ceiling. That’s how I worked through it, step-by-step. No magic formula, just looking at the info and making a call based on what matters most in fantasy.
