There's no denying the greatness of some superstars. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been dominating the NFL for years and you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who truly believes he isn't a Hall of Famer. Meanwhile, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck returned from injury in 2018 to look unstoppable.
Both should be considered near the top of the quarterback ranks in the NFL. With that in mind, both should be considered near the top of the quarterback ranks in fantasy football as well.
However, who should be considered the better quarterback for 2019 in terms of fantasy football?
Before we start, it's important to remember that fantasy football is different than overall when it comes to talent. Someone could be better for a fantasy league without being the better quarterback to lead a team.
With that in mind, let's look at five different variables.
5. Weapons
There's a very clear edge to Andrew Luck here. Aaron Rodgers might have the best weapon in Davante Adams, but Luck has the next batch.
The Colts have star T.Y. Hilton as well as tight ends Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle. Devin Funchess and Parris Campbell could put up strong numbers as well.
For Rodgers, Jimmy Graham is the only other semi-dangerous weapon after Adams.
This is a big part of the reason you should expect more touchdowns and yards from Luck in 2019.
Weapons should always be considered when drafting a fantasy football quarterback, and Luck has the distinct advantage.
4. Health Concerns
This one is a wash honestly.
Both players have had plenty of injury concerns in the past.
Both played in all 16 games last season, but it's hard to trust either to do that on a consistent basis.
There's a chance one or both of them miss a little time in 2019.
3. Passing Attempts
Andrew Luck gets a slight edge of Aaron Rodgers in this category when looking at last season. It's not big enough to really sway anything though.
With that being said, Rodgers is now part of an offense with a new head coach. Could that new offense see them try to rely a little less on him?
Last season, Rodgers threw the ball 597 times. He was incredibly efficient with those tosses, throwing 25 touchdowns to just two interceptions. That number of attempts could dip slightly as they try to take the load off him.
Then there's Luck, who threw the ball 639 times. Many believed he might get less action due to his injury the year prior. That wasn't the case as this was a career-high in attempts for him. With it he threw 39 touchdowns and had a career-best 67.3 completion percentage.
With Luck once again completely reinserted into the offense and proving he can handle it, could that number jump even higher?
As of now those have to be how the trends are pointing, right? Rodgers could see a downswing in passing attempts while Lucks could go up?
Another reason Luck gets the advantage in yards and touchdowns, and another big fantasy football plus for him.
2. Running
This probably won't be a massive factor. Both are great running quarterbacks, but don't use it much anymore.
Aaron Rodgers had the edge in yards and touchdowns last season, but it's not like he slaughtered Andrew Luck.
Rodgers finished with 269 yards and two touchdowns, while Luck had 148 yards and no touchdowns. Luck actually ran the ball three more times than Rodgers.
Even with the extra carries though, Rodgers is in a better situation for this. The Packers have the worse offensive line, which could lead to some scrambles. They've also proven they'll run him even after injuries.
Luck, on the other hand, might never get his number called like it did in the past, as the Colts might not want to risk it.
This is a slight edge for fantasy football going to Rodgers.
1. Turnovers
This is a pretty obvious edge for Aaron Rodgers. If you're league subtracts points for turnovers, Andrew Luck could hurt you at times. He threw 15 interceptions last season and has only had one year of sub-double-digit INTs in six seasons.
Rodgers on the other hand only threw two INTs last year and has had double-digits in that category just twice in 11 years as a starter.
The only reason this isn't a bigger point is simply that some fantasy leagues don't factor in turnovers.
Overall
Overall it's pretty clear that Andrew Luck has the edge over Aaron Rodgers when it comes to fantasy football in 2019. He has better weapons and the most pass-friendly offense in football.
Rodgers is still one of the greatest of all-time so he could pull an incredible fantasy season out of a hat. That being said, as long as Luck stays healthy – incredible fantasy seasons will be the norm for him for the rest of his career.
The safe money is on Luck, as his team sets up his talented arm for success.
Rodgers, on the other hand, will have to work extra hard to put up Luck-type numbers in 2019.
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