Five Biggest Questions
1. Which QB will lead the way?
2. Will Isaiah Crowell outperform Bilal Powell?
3. Can Thomas Rawls be useful?
4. Will Robby Anderson build on his 2017 breakout?
5. Can Quincy Enunwa or Terrelle Pryor reclaim their past glory?
I still don’t understand how last year’s Jets managed to get to 4-5 with a legit shot at the postseason. They won only one of their final seven games, but almost prevailed in four of those losses and suffered close defeats in three others. Incredible given how awful their roster was, particularly at so many key positions. While their record probably won’t improve this year, some of their guys once again will enjoy fantasy relevance.
Aged journeyman Josh McCown defied all logic in 2017, posting the 13th most QB fantasy points before getting knocked out for the season in Week 14. McCown has always been an underrated NFL backup, producing better spot-starts than most #2's. His QB ADP (36) is between those of #1 overall 2018 pick Sam Darnold (33) and the overrated Teddy Bridgewater (43). After years of running with one of the league's weakest QBs corps, the team now has three seemingly competent options. At this point, McCown is the safest short-term bet in two-QB leagues, while Darnold is an obvious dynasty stash in very deep 16+ team leagues (300+ players drafted). However, I don’t see how McCown -- 39 years old to start the season -- replicates last year’s per-game production. He’ll be a bottom-half starter with a good chance of getting pulled by midseason.
The backfield is also muddled. Last year’s 30th best fantasy RB, Bilal Powell, will earn another 125-175 touches and will be a bargain at his RB-55 ADP. The newly acquired Isaiah Crowell has been largely a pedestrian runner during his four-year career, but should be able match his RB-37 ADP -- though I wouldn't expect a breakout as long as Powell remains in the mix. Their value also hinges on the remaining RB options: Thomas Rawls, Elijah McGuire, and rookie Trenton Cannon. Rawls has never looked the same since getting hurt during an absolutely dominant, abbreviated 2015 campaign, when in seven starts for Seattle he rolled to an unbelievable 756 yards on 132 carries (5.7 YPC) and five scores. Still only 24 and sitting outside the top 100 RBs in ADP, Rawls is the team's biggest fantasy wild card.
Quincy Enunwa was set to lead Jet receivers last season before an August neck injury knocked him out for the year. In April he received a modest, one-year “prove it” deal one month after the team signed Terrelle Pryor. One of these two guys will be riding the bench much or all of Week 1. It’s a reflection of how far these two recent #1 receivers have fallen. Keep an eye on this camp battle if your league is deep enough to necessitate an almost universally undrafted wideout (Enunwa: WR-82 ADP / Pryor: WR-78 ADP) with WR3/4 upside if everything falls into place. Meanwhile, Robby Anderson took a huge leap forward last year in Enunwa’s absence, enjoying a blistering midseason to earn 2017’s 18th most WR fantasy points. He’s a modest risk even at his seemingly insulting WR-42 ADP, as off-field issues could lead to a league-enforced suspension. If Anderson weathers the storm and plays a full season, he should be a WR3. But don’t expect a repeat of last season. Jermaine Kearse is also headed toward a letdown after a career year of 65/810/5, thanks to RB and WR upgrades. And 2017 fourth rounder Chad Hansen is a name to monitor if injuries or suspensions knock out a couple of the bigger names.
The unenviable tight end battle comes down to Raider cast-off Clive Walford; second-year-pro Jordan Leggett; and rookie Chris Herndon, who was arrested in early June for a DUI. Gotta be honest: none of them look like top-30 options.