Justin Fields or Jalen Hurts: Who should I draft for my fantasy team in 2023?

Justin Fields and Jalen Hurts are perfect examples of the new breed of NFL quarterbacks finding a ton of success with elite athelticism. They are also among the most desirable players to target during 2023 fantasy football drafts. This is mostly due to their incredible ability to put up massive rushing statistics from the quarterback position.

Rushing quarterbacks have always been valuable in fantasy football, but the modern game has transformed them into a major asset. While Justin Fields and Jalen Hurts are two of the best overall options this year, it's fair to wonder which one is the better selection during fantasy drafts.

Is Justin Fields a good fantasy pick?

Justin Fields

Justin Fields enjoyed a breakout fantasy football season last year as a result of putting together one of the best quarterback rushing performances in NFL history. His 1,143 rushing yards were the second-most in a single season by any quarterback ever, trailing only Lamar Jackson. He also added seven rushing touchdowns and led all NFL players with a massive 7.1 yards per carry.

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Despite posting barely any passing numbers at all compared to other starting quarterbacks, Justin Fields still finished among the top fantasy players at the position. This demonstrates just how valuable rushing statistics can be for fantasy quarterbacks. This alone makes him a solid pick, but a projected boost to his passing output during the 2023 NFL season makes him even more attractive in drafts.

Most notably for the Chicago Bears during the 2023 offseason, they acquired star wide receiver DJ Moore via trade with the Carolina Panthers. His presence alone should theoretically create additional passing statistics for Fields.

The Bears have also reportedly worked closely with their quarterback all offseason to further develop this part of his game. If he can put it all togther, the added passing raises his ceiling while his elite rushing gives him an extremely safe floor.

Is Jalen Hurts a good fantasy pick?

Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts flashed strong fantasy football potential two years ago with the Philadelphia Eagles before exploding to a whole new level last season. During his monstrous 2022 campaign, he led all quarterbacks with an impressive 25.6 fantasy points per game. His consistent rushing dominance is a big reason why, while his progress as a passer has significantly elevated his ceiling.

Hurts has been truly elite as a rusher over the past two seasons, exceeding 750 rushing yards in each of them, while totaling 23 rushing touchdowns. He leads all quarterbacks in fantasy rushing value during that span, which clearly explains his legitimate case for being the QB1 for the 2023 season.

Along with Josh Allen, he provides the balanced upside of potentially elite production as both a rusher and passer that is umatched by any other quarterbacks.

Still playing behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, Jalen Hurts is expected to continuing running with the same success as he's shown the past two years, giving him one of safest overall fantasy floors. Also, returning to one of the best wide receiver tandems in the NFL in AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, gives him an equally high ceiling to his average QB1 fantasy finish just a season ago.

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Justin Fields vs. Jalen Hurts: Who should I start?

Jalen Hurts vs. Justin Fields in Week 1

Per Sportskeeda's Start/Sit optimizer, Jalen Hurts is a superior option to Justin Fields in Week 1 of the 2023 fantasy football season.

While both quarterbacks have clearly demonstrated their elite rushing upside from the quarterback position, Jalen Hurts has been a much more productive passer to this point in his career. He also has a better offensive roster around him than Justin Fields, further improving his outlook.

Jalen Hurts is currently in the elite tier of fantasy football quarterbacks for the 2023 season, along with just Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. Justin Fields is the following tier, joining Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence.

While fantasy rosters can't really go too wrong with any of the eight top projected quarterbacks, Hurts has a strong case to be the QB1 at the top of the list as he was last year.

While Fields' ceiling is about as high as any fantasy quarterback this season, his floor is also probably the lowest among the above top eight options. He has yet to show he can be a consistent passer and only has one elite rushing season during his career so far. In a direct comparison with Jalen Hurts, it's the Eagles superstar who is the better choice.