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The New York Jets told the rest of the NFL that they were committed to the ground game in Week 1 against the Oakland Raiders when it totaled 212 rushing yards. The biggest beneficiary of the Jets’ commitment to the running game was backup running back Chris Ivory.
The Jets’ power back between the tackles led the Jets in rushing with 102 yards, a touchdown, and a huge 71-yard touchdown run, but how reliable is a backup running back on your fantasy team? The clear-cut No. 1 running back for the Jets is Chris Johnson and he too had a solid game (68 rushing yards) in Week 1. Johnson is expected to see most of the carries for the Jets this season with No. 3 running back Bilal Powell also penciled in for a few carries here and there.
It’s hard to call Ivory anything more than a No. 3 running back or bye-week replacement in all fantasy leagues, despite his solid start to the season.
Ivory could see some carries at the goal line, but the Jets had Johnson in on a lot of plays during its trips to the red zone on Sunday. Also, Ivory is a tough runner, but due to his style of running, he is often injury prone and has missed a few games over the course of his career. Johnson, on the other hand, is a workhorse and rarely misses a game. Ivory is a good handcuff for Johnson owners, but it’s hard to imagine Ivory with anything over five to 10 carries a game.
The Jets loyalty to the run is a good thing, but it’s hard call Ivory as a fantasy starter because the Jets love to mix and match their running backs. Ivory may have led the Jets in rushing in Week 1, but next week it could be Johnson, and in Week 3 it could be back to Ivory — it’s unpredictable.
Also, if Ivory didn’t break that big touchdown run late in the Jets’ win against the Raiders, his numbers would’ve been pretty modest overall, with nine carries for 31 yards.
Ivory is a solid bench player, but I wouldn’t recommend owners trying to pick him up, or trade for him unless something happens to Johnson.
Vinny Lanni is a New York Jets writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter or add him to your network on Google.
