AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
Fantasy managers who are still relying on New York Jets players got a surprise on Wednesday with news that Joe Flacco will be the team’s starting quarterback this week.
Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Flacco will be under center for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
Corey Davis and Michael Carter are the only Jets players who have been worth anything in fantasy this season. Carter leads the team with 673 yards from scrimmage on 133 touches, including 31 receptions. Davis only has 29 catches in seven games, but he’s averaging a strong 15.2 yards per reception and has four touchdowns.
Rookie Elijah Moore has been coming on strong lately. He had the best game of his young career in Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts with seven catches, 84 yards and two touchdowns.
The 21-year-old only had three catches for 44 yards in Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills, but he boosted his value with a touchdown catch.
ESPN’s Matthew Berry actually thinks this could be a good game for some of the Jets receivers:
This is one of the few fantasy matchups in 2021 where Jets receivers could have an advantage.
Miami’s defense is allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts (26.1) and eighth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks (19.4).
The Jets’ skill-position value will ultimately be determined by what Flacco does. The Super Bowl XLVII MVP did play mop-up duty last week against the Bills, going 3-of-3 for 47 yards and a touchdown pass to Moore.
It’s hard to really assess that performance for many reasons, not least of which is the score was 45-10 with four minutes remaining when Flacco came in.
Sunday will mark Flacco’s first start since Week 11 last season. The 36-year-old finished 15-of-30 for 205 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 34-28 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Flacco made four starts for the Jets in 2020. Three of them were bad by normal and fantasy standards. His best game was in Week 9 against the New England Patriots with 262 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
New York does have better skill-position talent now than it did last year when Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman were the top two receivers.
Davis and Keelan Cole have the big-play ability to take advantage of Flacco’s arm strength if he can push the ball down the field. Cole is averaging 16.2 yards per reception, but he has yet to find the end zone.
One big factor that could help fantasy managers is game script. The Jets defense ranks last in the NFL with 32.9 points allowed per game. That unit has allowed the second-most points in a four-game span in league history (175) over the past four weeks.
If the Jets are unable to get stops again this week, Flacco will be forced to throw the ball 35-40 times.
Keep an eye on Davis, Cole and Moore as potential fantasy streamers in Week 11.
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