NEW YORK JETS

Photo Credit: New York Jets

OVERVIEW

A new era of Jets football begins (again) under the leadership of head coach Robert Saleh and starting QB Zach Wilson, selected 2nd overall in this year’s draft. It’s early yet, but the Jets already appear to be doing a better job of surrounding Wilson with talent than they ever did for his predecessor Sam Darnold. The receivers Gang Green added this offseason alone (Corey Davis, Keelan Cole, and rookie Elijah Moore) would probably net out as the best WR corps the team has had since 2015. Add Jamison Crowder and promising sophomore Denzel Mims, and that’s a nice, deep group for Zach Wilson. The Jets also made moves along the o-line, signing RT Morgan Moses in free agency and spending their other first rounder on LG Alijah Vera-Tucker to help bolster a group already anchored by monster LT Mekhi Becton. Yes, the Jets offense seems to be trending in the right direction in reality… but what about in the fantasy world?

ZACH WILSON (BDF RANK: QB21; ADP: N/A)

We’re not saying that Zach Wilson is going to come out of the gates as a rookie and light the football world on fire, but we are saying that the public’s opinion of the new Jets signal caller is way too low. The BYU product is coming into a surprisingly good situation for a rookie QB in New York – the offensive line is solid, the receiving corps is deep, and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur’s system is as QB-friendly as they come. Listen, we get it. It’s the Jets, and they need to prove they’re not a disaster on the field before people fully buy into the hype… But if things break the right way, Zach Wilson is a sneaky late-round sleeper worth stashing in 1QB and 2QB leagues.

BDG SUGGESTION – BUY. Wilson is worth a flier at his non-existent ADP. Nothing is certain in the NFL, especially with the Jets, but the personnel and players around him feel like a recipe for success. Snatch him up in the last round of your draft. Pat yourself on the back if he plays well, but don’t kick yourself if he doesn’t.

MICHAEL CARTER / TY JOHNSON / TEVIN COLEMAN (BDF RANK: RB47, RB57, RB69; ADP: RB30, RB83, RB52)

With the arrival of new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur comes the dreaded fantasy hell of a running back by committee approach. At least with the Jets RBs, it’s a little more palatable because none of these guys would project to be studs anyway. Tevin Coleman can play when healthy, but feels a little unreliable coming off an injury-riddled season. Ty Johnson showed flashes last year when Frank Gore needed a breather, but he’s far from a dependable fantasy option. Newly drafted Michael Carter should be a fantastic fit in the Jets outside zone running scheme, but at this point there’s just no way of knowing how the carries will be split up in that backfield.

BDF SUGGESTION – FADE. Stay out of the Jets running back room. This is a fantasy wasteland until we know how the carries are going to shake out. Since we have no frame of reference in Matt LaFleur’s first year as OC with three RBs who have combined for 54 rushes on the Jets, let someone else draft them or let them fall to waivers.

COREY DAVIS (BDF RANK: WR20; ADP: WR53)

After a middling first few years in the league, the former 5th overall pick had something of a breakout season with Ryan Tannehill and the Titans last year. While 984 yards and 5 TDs might not leap off the page, it’s actually pretty impressive when you consider he shared the field with Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown in an offense that (literally) ran through First-Team All-Pro RB Derrick Henry. Davis made the most of his opportunities in 2020, and his targets should only increase in 2021 as the clear-cut WR1 in this Jets offense. 

BDF SUGGESTION – STRONG BUY. Corey Davis is an absolute steal at his current ADP. It’s not easy to find a true WR1 in the 4th or 5th rounds; he’s an excellent option for managers who chose to address RB or TE early.

JAMISON CROWDER (BDF RANK: WR48; ADP: WR62)

Jamison Crowder (and all the Jets receivers after Corey Davis) is a tough nut to crack this year from a fantasy perspective. He had some trouble staying on the field in 2020, but proved himself a reliable option when healthy. In theory, the sure-handed veteran slot receiver should be rookie QB Zach Wilson’s best friend. In practice, the Jets drafted dynamic wideout Elijah Moore in the 2nd round of this year’s draft, and forced Crowder to take a pay cut. He should start for the Jets right out of the gate, but we expect Moore will begin taking away precious reps sooner rather than later.

BDF SUGGESTION – BUY. Crowder is worth a flier at his current ADP, but keep an eye on his usage as the weeks go on. There are a lot of mouths to feed in the Jets wide receiver room, and rookie Elijah Moore should have a big appetite.

ELIJAH MOORE (BDF RANK: WR62; ADP: WR58)

Drafted 34th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Elijah Moore has already been turning heads at Jets OTAs. While that might not mean much, the general consensus around the league is that Moore has the potential to be a stud. Unfortunately, there’s a ceiling to his rookie numbers so long as Jamison Crowder is around to siphon reps. Still, keep an eye on Moore as the season goes on, especially around the trade deadline. If he makes the most of his opportunities, he could send Crowder to the bench or the trade block altogether before the year ends.

BDF SUGGESTION – FAIR VALUE. Similarly to Crowder, Moore is worth a flier at his current ADP (but for the opposite reason). If you want to play the long waiting game, snag him in one of the later rounds. Otherwise, let him fall to waivers and keep an eye on him week to week.

DENZEL MIMS / KEELAN COLE (BDF RANK: WR71, N/A; ADP: WR76, WR129)

Once again, there are a lot of mouths to feed in the Jets wide receiver room, and it’s not easy to predict the pecking order beyond Corey Davis. At the moment, Denzel Mims and Keelan Cole appear to be the least fantasy relevant. Mims battled injuries as a rookie last year, but flashed in his limited opportunities. Cole is a career WR3, who also makes the most of his opportunities. The problem – those opportunities are going to be limited.

BDF SUGGESTION – FAIR VALUE. Mims and Cole can hit waivers. They’ll see game action, but not enough to make them reliable fantasy options.

CHRIS HERNDON (BDF RANK: TE28; ADP: TE33)

We’ll keep this short and sweet – there are better TEs available. Herndon impressed as a rookie, and has been invisible ever since. The Jets also added former Bills TE Tyler Kroft to the mix this year, which cuts into Herndon’s opportunities even more.

BDF SUGGESTION – FAIR VALUE. Again, Herndon doesn’t need to be drafted. Jets fans hope that new OC Matt LaFleur can squeeze some production out of him, but until that happens, he’ll be hanging out on waivers.