Who Should I Start? Trevor Lawrence or Anthony Richardson

Monday, April 29, 4:23 PM

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced on X that they have picked up the fifth-year options on 2021 first-round picks Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne. This move keeps the former Clemson duo under contract through the 2025 NFL season. Lawrence, the former No. 1 overall pick, has played well in spurts and led the team to a playoff win. He seemingly regressed from 2022 to 2023, but he's shown enough to warrant the team rolling with him for at least another two years. After missing his entire rookie season with a lisfranc injury, Etienne has rushed 478 times for 2,133 yards and 16 touchdowns and caught 93 passes for 792 yards and one score as a receiver in 34 games.

Tuesday, May 7, 11:29 PM

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (shoulder) is progressing well and itching to get back to normal football activities, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. "Richardson feels he's full go at this point," Fowler said during an appearance on SportsCenter. "He's been throwing for a while now. He's gradually grown to where he can throw full time with minimal restrictions. The Colts could be deliberate. They could hold him out for OTAs, 11-man work, minicamp, but the feeling is he wants to get started." These comments suggest that Richardson is pushing to return in a full capacity but Indianapolis may choose to take a more cautious approach in the final stage of his recovery and rehabilitation. Regardless, he should be back to 100 percent in time for the preseason and Week 1 of the regular season. He can be a QB1 in fantasy football as long as he stays healthy. That's easier said than done given that Richardson's physical playing style made him more susceptible to big hits and injuries as a rookie. However, Richardson reportedly might tone down his physicality in 2024, which could lead to him finishing more games (even if it equates to slightly fewer rushing yards and touchdowns, as well as more sacks). He should be treated as a fringe top-12 quarterback heading into fantasy drafts.