The “Top Five” is an ongoing article breaking down every NFL team’s top 5 best fantasy football
options.
Today’s team: NEW YORK JETS
1- Christopher Ivory- RB
Welcome to the fantasy football wasteland. Aka the New York Jets. Besides Oakland, this is the only team in the NFL whose offense is a mess. To further this belief, their number 1 fantasy player is an unproven running back who has played a total of 12 games in the last 2 seasons. As an optimist, I see Christopher Ivory as a proven back from New Orleans, who never got a fair break due to their huge running back by committee, and when he played as a spot starter, he performed magnificently.
Also, since RB is not as deep, and more teams are going into the running back by committee, any RB that’s going to get the majority of their team’s carries is worth an early pick. As a pessimist, Ivory is currently the starter, but the Jets also brought in Mike Goodson, as well as having mainstay Bilal Powell.
Also, Ivory has always had injury issues, as well as benefiting from defenses playing against one of/if not the best passing attack in the NFL, so yeah the running game is going to open up.
Finally, if he is the starter, he’ll be the main weapon on a team that has little to no passing game. So it appears that if Ivory is to have a great year, he’ll have to play out of his mind and carry the offense on his back.
2- Geno Smith- QB
This is going clearly on potential. There are reports he already has beaten Mark Sanchez in the QB competition and will be the starter in the season’s opener. Geno does have an arm, and the last time I slept on a QB of his caliber, it was Cam Newton. Recently, QB’s like Geno have been putting up solid rookie campaigns in the NFL, and in fantasy as well. I’d reach for him in the later rounds (maybe mid rounds in keeper leagues), but with the WR’s he has to work with, keep expectations low.
3- Kellen Winslow-TE
The Jets apparently are trying to revive the old Cleveland Browns WR core of old with the addition of Kellen Winslow Jr. and Braylon Edwards. If they would only sign Derek Anderson and Joe Jerevicius would come out of retirement the transformation would be complete. However, don’t be fooled with K2, when he plays as a pass catcher (as he did in Cle and TB) the guy did manage to pull off top 10 TE numbers. Also, if Mark Sanchez does manage to be the starter at the start, judging by Dustin Keller’s numbers, K2 could be in for a productive season. Sanchez has targeted his TE over a hundred times in 2 out of the past 3 seasons, with last year being an exception due to Keller only playing 8 games. I wouldn’t draft K2, but I would monitor his numbers as a potential bye week filler.
4- Jeremy Kerley- WR
With Santonio Holmes scheduled to miss at least the first 4 games, and the uncertainty of which Braylon Edwards is going to show up this year. Jeremy Kerley seems to be the safest bet as to which Jets WR will perform the best. Granted that’s not saying much. Last season Kerley broke out with 827 yards, nearly four times as many as the next closest Jet WR. Unlike Santonio Holmes and Stephen Hill, Kerley stays healthy, but his upside remains at best a fantasy 4/5th WR with a chance to break out.
5- Bilal Powell-RB
There’s literally no one else. Can’t say Sanchez because he’s terrible. Can’t say the def/st because they’re a shell of their former self and have gotten progressively worse year after year. Finally, can’t say Santonio Holmes because to be honest, missing 4 games and having an uncertain timetable as to when he’s coming back, yeah I’m avoiding him like the plague this year.
So it leaves me with Bilal Powell who truthfully, I thought was pretty good last year.
He was a good compliment to Shonn Greene and performed well when called upon. He can catch out of the backfield and could possibly even be the starter at the beginning of the season, or at worst can be a good 3rd down option/ backup for if Ivory goes down.