Should I draft Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson in 2026?
Our value-over-replacement board currently favors Allen, though both are the position's clear top tier. The live public top five is on the quarterback rankings page.
2026 draft season · QB
Josh Allen vs Lamar Jackson: who should I draft?
Allen versus Jackson is the only quarterback debate worth having an early pick for, because they are the two whose rushing production makes them fantasy outliers rather than merely good passers. Allen is the heavier touchdown and rushing-score threat with the more pass-happy offense; Jackson is the more efficient passer who adds a designed-run element nobody else has, behind the healthier offensive line. Our value-over-replacement board currently favors Allen — the live order is on the quarterback rankings page, and the numbers behind it are subscriber-only at $5/month or $40/year. Remember that in a one-quarterback league even this choice should usually wait, because the position's depth blunts the edge.
Rushing value
Both are top-tier rushing quarterbacks, which is the whole reason they sit apart from their peers. Allen converts goal-line carries into touchdowns at a rate no quarterback has sustained; Jackson gains more yards on the ground and does it on designed runs that arrive predictably every week.
Rushing production is the most stable part of a quarterback's fantasy week because it does not depend on receivers winning routes. That stability is why these two, and only these two, justify spending real draft capital at the position.
Passing volume and cast
Buffalo's offense asks Allen to throw more and take more deep shots; Baltimore's surrounds Jackson with the league's best running game and asks him to be precise rather than prolific. Allen's cast has turned over more, and he has kept producing — but target quality is the one input that can move either of these verdicts within a season.
Injury and age
Both are entering the phase where quarterback rushing usually begins a slow decline, and both are athletic enough that the decline is later and gentler than for most. Allen's style invites more contact per carry; Jackson has learned to avoid the hits that ended early seasons.
See the numbers behind the verdict
This page is deliberately qualitative: no projected points, ranks or value-over-replacement figures appear here. Subscribers see the full QB board, every scoring format and the weekly refresh — $5/month or $40/year.
Questions about Josh Allen vs Lamar Jackson
Is it worth an early pick to get one of them?
Only in leagues that reward rushing heavily or start multiple quarterbacks. In a standard one-quarterback league, the depth at the position means the edge over a late-round passer is small — that is exactly what value over replacement measures.
Where are their projections?
Projected points and value-over-replacement figures for both quarterbacks are subscriber-only. A subscription is $5/month or $40/year.