Why I'm All-In on Justin Fields
This is the Justin Fields redemption arc we’ve been waiting for
My All-In Players Aren’t Going to Be Consensus First-Round Picks
I focus on guys who are significantly undervalued — the ones you win your league with, not the ones everyone’s already drafting in the top 12.
Here’s how my All-In list from last year panned out:
Chuba Hubbard (11th Round ADP) – I said he’d be an RB2 until Jonathon Brooks came back (which ended up being basically the entire season). Huge hit.
Rashee Rice (6th Round ADP)– I predicted he’d be a high-end WR2, maybe even low WR1. Massive hit until the injury derailed him.
Kyler Murray (9th Round ADP– I said he’d finish as a top-5 QB. Huge miss.
Trey McBride (5th Round ADP) – My prediction: TE1 overall. He finished TE2. Strong hit.
A.J. Brown (2nd Round ADP) – I had him pegged as a top-3 WR. Miss. He was good, but not elite.
Jayden Daniels (9th Round ADP) – Predicted a QB6–QB8 finish. He crushed it — finished QB3 despite being drafted as QB12. Huge hit.
My goal this season is to build a starting lineup in a 10-team league with my all-in guys
I don’t want to be the guy whose all-in player is the consensus #1 or #2 - Ja'Marr Chase or Bijan Robinson. If you predict them in the top 2, that’s fine, but don’t pretend like it’s an accomplishment.
Planting My Flag
We’ve all been burned before. The offseason hype, the camp videos, the beat reporters tweeting that “he’s in the best shape of his life.” But when it comes to Justin Fields, I’m all in for 2025. This isn’t hype for hype’s sake. It’s about untapped talent, systemic suppression, and finally — finally — being unleashed in an offense that is fantasy friendly.
Yes, he’s listed as QB14 going in the 13th round on ESPN. I’ve seen some experts bump him as high as QB9. I have him as my QB7 — and I think I’m being cautious, here’s why:
The Rushing Floor Is Real
Let’s start with the floor: Fields averages 50.2 rushing yards per game over his career. That’s almost an extra touchdown every week. It’s the type of talent that only a handful of quarterbacks possess. That number includes the nuclear winter that was his time under Arthur Smith, the offensive equivalent of turning an iPhone into a flip phone. This is the guy who benched Bijan Robinson at various points when he coached the Falcons and turned Bijan into an RB2 who averaged 14 points per game. Not exactly a great use of assets.
Last season alone, even while trapped in football purgatory, Fields still posted a 30-point fantasy game. That’s not just impressive — that’s miraculous.
A Glimmer of Hope: DJ Moore
Historically, Fields has only averaged 155.6 passing yards per game across his career. Not great. But context matters. In the one stretch where he was allowed to throw to a legit NFL wide receiver — DJ Moore — Fields averaged 197 passing yards per game. That may not sound elite, but combine it with his rushing and he averaged 19.2 fantasy points (Weeks 1–17), …19.2 points per game would’ve made him QB6 overall last year among quarterbacks who played at least half the season.
Fields was one of just five quarterbacks to put up a 30-point fantasy game in 2023 and he did it again last year.
New Team, New Life: Enter the Jets
Fields has officially signed with the New York Jets, who historically have been a joke and a place where fantasy dreams go to die. The difference is the trust from the organization, the talent level, and new offense.
They Believe in Him — So Should You
Make no mistake: the Jets didn’t stumble into this. They pursued Fields because they see the upside. They see the potential. And they’re doing what Chicago and the Steelers never quite figured out and build the offense around Fields’ strengths. The Steelers' offered Fields a contract too, but it was reportedly a two-year deal worth $30 million, while the Jets offered him a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed.
The Surrounding Talent
Not only will he start for the full season (barring injury), but he’s reunited with Garrett Wilson, his former Ohio State star receiver. That’s not just a feel-good reunion —according to Sporting News, “When Fields was targeting Wilson at Ohio State, he threw for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns with a 133.0 passer rating. The tandem was a home run waiting to happen, as Wilson hauled in 22 receptions of 20 or more yards from Fields”. Breece Hall is a workhorse, but the offensive line is average at best. PFF ranked the unit 17th last season. This is not a problem for a QB whose instincts tell him to run when the pocket breaks down.
And no offense to the Steelers (well, maybe a little), but Fields was operating in an environment that limited his creativity and his upside.
According to Matt Williamson from Steelers.com - and this data includes stats from Fields and Wilson
Only three offenses threw the ball at a lower percentage than the Steelers (50.7%). Pittsburgh's 533 total rush attempts were only behind the Eagles (621), Ravens (554) and Lions (534).
Steelers quarterbacks threw what is considered a "Check down pass" on 13.4% of their attempts, the highest rate in the league.
The Steelers used play-action on 25.2% of their attempts, 10th highest in the NFL.
The Steelers threw a "Deep Ball" on 12.8% of their pass attempts. Only six teams threw deep a higher percentage.
The Steelers liked to run the ball, or run play-action to throw it deep. Their pass rate over expected (PROE) was -5.6%, compared to the Lions’ -3.6%
Which brings us to…Tanner Engstrand, the Jets' new OC.
Tanner Engstrand: A Breath of Fresh Air
Engstrand comes from Detroit, where Jared Goff was QB6 last year. That offense was one of the most balanced, innovative attacks in the league. They used misdirection, motion, and built around their quarterback’s strengths.
Now he gets Fields, a dual-threat weapon with arm talent and the speed of a gazelle. The Lions made excellent use of the run game, too — and you can bet your FAAB waiver budget that Fields will be a part of the Jets' ground attack in a way he never was in Pittsburgh. Why else would they sign him?
Maximizing Assets:
Last season, one of my All-In players was Jayden Daniels. I predicted he would range between QB6 and QB8. He was going 99th overall on ESPN and rated as QB12. He had a unique skill set with his rushing ability and with a great offensive mind in Kliff Kingsbury he had a real opportunity to outperform his ADP. He did so FAR beyond what I, or many others imagined. Another player I was All-In in 2021 was Jalen Hurts. Similar prospect: average team that will be in neutral or negative game script, running instinct, I wouldn’t say great coaching at the time but an environment that he could do well in. He finished QB6 in points per game at a cost of an 8th rounder, QB9.
I have no problem with taking one of the elite QB’s this year at the right price. The problem is they are going to cost a second round pick. You will have to pay a premium to get a Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, or Jayden Daniels. Would you rather have Nico Collins and Justin Fields or Lamar Jackson and Hollywood Brown? Because that’s the choice.
I admit, I loved having Josh Allen on my team in my 8-man league last year, but I also drafted Jayden Daniels as a late round flyer and could have had a better roster with Josh Jacobs or someone of the caliber.
Final Thoughts: Take the Leap
Justin Fields is a rare fantasy talent: a player with a top three rushing ceiling who is currently being drafted outside the top 10 quarterbacks. That’s value. That’s upside. That’s league-winning potential.
If you want safety, draft Dak Prescott. If you want a chance to explode out of the gate with a top-5 QB who can run for 80 yards and a score on any given Sunday — Fields is your guy.
This is the year. This is the offense. And this is the Justin Fields redemption arc we’ve been waiting for.