New QB-coach combo could pay dividends in 2025
Whispering is all the rage these days. Robert Redford became the “Horse Whisperer” back in a 1998 film, Cesar Millan was crowned the Dog Whisperer in 2004, and yours truly was given the moniker of Tight End Whisperer by the fantasy football community in 2017.
Whispering is considered a high achievement — more knowledgeable than all others in a particular field. So, when Liam Coen was referred to as the Quarterback Whisperer in 2022, Jaguars fans and fantasy football managers alike turned their attention to Trevor Lawrence. Could this finally be his breakout season?
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When fantasy managers drafted Baker Mayfield in the 14th round in 2023, few of them knew that he had been touched by a football angel. After being traded from Carolina to Los Angeles in 2022, Mayfield connected with Coen, who was serving as the Rams assistant quarterbacks coach.
The two worked closely together, and over a five-game stretch, Coen’s “whispering” helped Mayfield become an efficient NFL quarterback and someone who was even fantasy-worthy.
Mayfield took what he learned to Tampa Bay in 2023 and posted career-best numbers in passing yards, passing touchdowns and completion percentage. He was so efficient that it opened up his downfield passing to levels no one expected.
Then, when Mayfield reunited with Coen in 2024, Mayfield’s numbers went off the charts. Not only did he best his career highs in passing yards and touchdowns, but his 71.4 percent completion rate was highest in the league of any quarterback who played in 12 or more games. His 108.1 QB rating ranked third. Coen’s work with Mayfield was lauded throughout NFL circles, and when it came time to find a new head coach, it was one of the primary reasons the Jaguars made him their No. 1 target.
Fantasy Football DVQ: The only draft rankings you need
The latest incarnation of the Fantasy Madman’s football rating system has arrived. The nuts and bolts have been tweaked and strengthened, the breadth of the database was expanded, some ingredients were added to the soup, and some that were souring the stew were removed. So we’re leaner and more flavorful. Now allow us to serve you the latest helping of the Draft Value Quotient (DVQ).
The DVQ is a system that rates players across the board, balancing value based on positional depth. A player’s DVQ rating represents the point in the draft where projected production meets draft value. Each draft slot is assigned a value for expected production, which descends at a constant rate (same amount of expected points substracted from each descending pick). However, a player’s real-world production forms an arc (steep fall at top, then flattening out), therefore there are gaps in the ratings. Example: The top player might have a 1.0 DVQ, but the second-ranked player might have a DVQ of 13.3. Deeper in the draft pool, instead of big gaps, players will only be separated by percentage points.
So saddle up, study up, then queue up a draft, and take a ride with the DVQ.
It has been a rough ride for Lawrence throughout his four-year NFL career. His rookie campaign was marred by the Urban Meyer era in Jacksonville, and most gave him a mulligan.
He blossomed under Doug Pederson in 2022, but then took a slight step back in Year 3.
The underlying metrics seemed clean, but his decision-making was questioned as he threw 14 interceptions. Last season was marred by injuries and he played in just 10 games. But there is no doubting his overall talent, and now teamed up with Coen, the highly coveted breakout is here.
Those who have been burned by Lawrence in the past are still harboring a grudge, and that is just fine. His ADP is right around 140, which puts him as QB20 in most drafts, a veritable bargain if you believe Coen can “fix” him.
Without Coen, we’ve seen completion percentages better than 60 percent, we’ve watched Lawrence throw for over 4,000 yards, and we’ve even seen him rush for more than 300 yards with multiple touchdowns.
Think about the growth we witnessed with Mayfield, and now imagine the possibilities for Lawrence.
You don’t have to draft him as your No. 1 quarterback, but if you wait on the position and draft two mid- to late-round guys, he certainly could be by season’s end.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy football news and advice.
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