Fantasy Football: Dwayne Haskins Rookie Profile
We’ve started to see a recent trend in the NFL Draft where quarterbacks are being taken higher and higher, despite only being one year starters in college.
Mitchell Trubisky was taken at #2 overall by the Chicago Bears in 2017, Kyler Murray was taken #1 overall this draft and Dwayne Haskins joins that list after starting only one year at Ohio State.
While some teams and general managers may be scared to take a risk on these types of quarterbacks, there’s a chance that these players pay off in a big way for the teams that take the chance on them early.
Haskins balled out in 2018 at Ohio State after being given the opportunity to start…but can that talent translate to the NFL enough for him to be a top fantasy quarterback?
NFL Scouting Combine Overview
[lptw_table id=”159776″ style=”default”]Haskins chose to only run the 40-Yard Dash and participate in the Vertical Jump at the Combine. While the 40-time may look disappointing at first glance, it’s important to note that Haskins is not known as a “scrambling” quarterback.
Haskins wins from the pocket, but he also has the agility to be able to sidestep incoming defenders and reset his feet before finding his receiver down the field.
He won’t break off any long runs like a Kyler Murray, Josh Allen or Mitchell Trubisky…but he has the arm strength and accuracy to shred defenses apart and keep them on their heels.
Dwayne Haskins Jr. kept that play alive.
@OhioStateFB 7, @NUFBFamily 0#B1GFCG pic.twitter.com/Pd2K0NzxVJ— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 2, 2018
Despite waiting for a few years behind J.T. Barrett, Haskins stepped into the starting QB role at Ohio State in 2018 and absolutely blew up the Big Ten.
College Production
[lptw_table id=”159777″ style=”default”]In his first year as a starter, Haskins threw for over 4,800 yards and 50 Touchdowns. It’s important to remember that this was against defenses in the Big 10 like Michigan and Penn State. He even carved up a top defense in Washington during the Rose Bowl. He’s shown that he can win against some of the best that college football has to offer and the ability to compete at a high level.
But not only does Haskins show incredible capabilities on the field, he displayed an extremely high football IQ throughout the draft process and a dedication to learning off the field.
https://youtu.be/QLz-YcvbsAg?t=48
On the field, Haskins displays an incredible ability to progress through his reads quickly, reset his feet and deliver the ball with touch and accuracy. He has a natural arm and the right frame to withstand the punishment a QB takes at the next level. Where Haskins needs to continue to grow and mature is reading defenses, throwing on the run and securing the football.
With that being said though, everything is there to dictate that Haskins can be a franchise QB for a team in the NFL for years to come…
Fantasy Outlook
Haskins was taken with the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.
With the No. 15 pick, the Redskins select Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins.
He's the first Big Ten QB drafted in the first round since 1995. pic.twitter.com/W8Kc0iWW5L
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 26, 2019
Haskins goes to a team that is in dire need of a franchise QB after missing out on Robert Griffin III, letting Kirk Cousins walk away after the franchise tag dance and having Alex Smith badly injure his leg in 2018.
The speculation leading up to the draft was that Washington had their sights set on Haskins, but they were going to need to trade up in the 1st round in order to be able to draft him. However, after the Giants took Daniel Jones at #6 overall the Redskins knew that they could wait and that Haskins would land in their laps.
Now, Haskins goes to an underrated team that has some solid running back depth, a good defense on paper and some young receiving weapons with upside. Haskins might not be asked to start right away with Case Keenum and Colt McCoy on the roster there as well, but there’s reason to believe that he can beat both of them out for that starting job.
Haskins may not contribute much to fantasy in year one (if he does end up starting) with the weapons that are currently around him. But in a Superflex league, Haskins should be considered early due to the ceiling that he could reach sooner rather than later. If he can get the playing time he needs right out of the gate, Haskins could grow into one of the better pure passers in the NFL.