Fantasy Football 2013: Top Five New York Jets to Target
2013 Fantasy Football: Five New York Jets to Target
The New York Jets were 30th in the league in total offense (299.2 yards per game) and 28th in scoring offense (17.6 points per game) last season, so it’s safe to say fantasy football owners did not find many suitable options on their roster.
Not much has changed in a significant way for 2013, but the Jets will have a changing of the guard at running back as Shonn Greene signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency and the team added Chris Ivory in a trade and signed Mike Goodson during the offseason to replace him.
Of course the question marks for fantasy owners mainly lie with the Jets’ passing offense, as quarterback Mark Sanchez has regressed over the last couple seasons and Geno Smith was drafted in April as potential competition.
The Jets have turned back the clock a bit in an effort to find viable targets for whoever winds up under center, signing tight end Kellen Winslow in June and bringing wide receiver Braylon Edwards back into the fold this week. The two veterans combined for 19 receptions last season, but the Jets can offer both an opportunity to play a lot this season and revive their careers.
Finding good, draftable fantasy options on the Jets’ roster is surely a difficult challenge even for the most optimistic of owners, but it’s not impossible if you look hard enough and perhaps buy into any possible potential that exists.
Do be sure to take into consideration the scoring format and roster size in your league, but here are five New York Jets I feel are worth considering in fantasy leagues this year.
5. WR Stephen Hill
Hill had a nice start to his NFL career in Week 1 last season, with five receptions for 89 yards and two touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills, but he had just 16 catches over the rest of the season as he missed the final three games with a right knee injury and five total games due to injury. The Jets are unlikely to throw the ball a lot, and the recent signing of Edwards adds another candidate for playing time and targets, but Hill has enough upside to be worth consideration as a WR5 in deep leagues.
4. TE Kellen Winslow
Winslow played just one game last season, but that has not stopped him from setting a lofty goal of 100 receptions this season. If he can stay healthy, and that is a big “if” with his history of knee issues, Winslow could catch half that many passes and be a viable low-end TE2 in 12 and 14-team leagues.
3. QB Geno Smith
Smith should get every chance to win the starting job from Mark Sanchez during training camp, and even if he does not start Week 1 it’s likely only a matter of time before he starts games during his rookie season. The Jets’ lack of skill position talent holds back Smith’s fantasy upside for this season, but he adds some value with his mobility and is a good choice in dynasty leagues.
2. WR Jeremy Kerley
Particularly when taken in the context of the mess that was (still is?) the Jets’ quarterback situation, Kerley’s 56 receptions for 827 yards and two touchdowns last season looks like a solid campaign. With Santonio Holmes looking iffy for the start of the season with lingering foot issues, Kerley looks certain to be New York’s clear No.1 wide receiver right out of the gate. Fantasy owners should not expect more than a handful of touchdowns from him, but Kerley has some appeal as a low-end WR3 or high-end WR4 in PPR leagues.
1. RB Chris Ivory
Injuries and a crowded backfield limited Ivory to just 24 games in his first three seasons with the New Orleans Saints, but he has averaged 5.1 yards per carry thus far in his career and now moves into a likely role as the Jets’ No. 1 running back. Ivory's value in PPR leagues is limited (three career receptions), but he has no significant competition for carries with Mike Goodson’s future unclear after an offseason arrest. Drafting Ivory is not without risk, but he has a chance to be a solid RB2 in most fantasy leagues.
