Should I draft Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson for fantasy football in 2023?

The AFC in 2023 features two fantasy football heavyweights in Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Both quarterbacks are expected to lead their teams to deep playoffs runs, as they have strong rosters.

Jackson is coming off signing a fresh contract with the Baltimore Ravens and has new receivers in the likes of Odell Beckham Jr. The Buffalo Bills have been one of the best teams for the last few years and that has been led for the most part by Josh Allen.

While they might be evenly matched on the field, who should we choose when it comes to fantasy football? Let's have a look:

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2023 Fantasy Outlook for Josh Allen

Josh Allen had an amazing fantasy football season last year. He finished just 25 points behind Patrick Mahomes despite playing one fewer regular season game. He was the top quarterback in 2021 and was the second-best in 2020. In the last three seasons, he has been in the top two.

It's not a surprise why he could do it again this year. He's supremely fit and is rarely injured. He might not have the highest completion percentage in the NFL, but that's tied in with his penchant for throwing deep and getting more yards.

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Allen also is a fabulous dual-threat quarterback with 617 yards of rushing per year on average. That does not affect his passing game either, as in the last three seasons, only Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady and Justin Herbert have thrown more.

Therefore, the Buffalo Bills quarterback remains an elite threat for fantasy football managers.

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2023 Fantasy Outlook for Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson is coming back to the season with a new spring in his step. After signing his contract extension, the doubts over his camaraderie with the Baltimore Ravens is gone.

They have also added to the receiver corps to help him in the passing game, adding veterans like Odell Beckham Jr. and rookies like Zay Flowers. Apart from the explosive running game, Jackson also has the weapons to open up a passing game.

In 2019, when he was also the league MVP, he ended top of the fantasy football leagues as the best quarterback. As much as he showed his dual-threat that season, the Ravens quarterback was also the NFL passing touchdowns leader.

If they can bring back that threat again by a bigger passing game, Jackson could easily reach the heights he has previously scaled.

Who Should I Draft in 2023: Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson?

When both quarterbacks are this good, one could say that it's tough to lose despite who one chooses to draft.

In favor of Lamar Jackson, he has an improving team around him and his satisfaction coming into this season. There's a good opportunity that he could have an explosive season. Compared to Allen, he's trending in the right direction.

The Buffalo Bills quarterback, meanwhile, has seen his main wide receiver question his authority during the summer and in the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last season. They have also let Devin Singletary join the Houston Texans.

Based on such intangibles, one could say that Lamar Jackson is due a better season while Allen might struggle, as they were a team built to win yesterday. However, if we are forced to choose who to draft, we might go with the Bills quarterback instead.

To reiterate, both are fantastic quarterbacks and would be an asset to fantasy football managers. However, given Josh Allen's durability compared to the recent injuries Lamar Jackson has gone through, we would suggest to go with the Buffalo quarterback for a less risk-averse choice.