Lamar Jackson Fantasy Value Boosted by Increased Usage as Runner in Week 6

Lamar Jackson was one of the trendiest breakout candidates in the NFL this offseason. A significant chunk of that was due to Jackson's ability as a runner, but he hadn't run the ball much entering Week 6. Jackson averaged 10 carries per game through Week 5, which was down from 17.0 as a starter last season.

However, Jackson has come out of the gates on fire in Week 6 against the Cincinnati Bengals, with eight carries for 82 yards and one touchdown in the first half so far.

While this emphasis on using Jackson as a runner is certainly a positive for his value, as mobile QBs are one of the most valuable commodities in fantasy, the opponent certainly has a lot to do with his success.

Entering Week 6, the Bengals had surrendered 167.6 rushing yards per game, which is the second-worst mark in the NFL. Cincinnati also gave up 266 rushing yards to the Arizona Cardinals last week, including 93 to another mobile QB in Kyler Murray.

If this trend continues, and Jackson continues to be used as a runner, his fantasy ceiling will be even higher than it already is. That's especially impressive considering he's already QB7 on the season through five weeks.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.