It’s always easy for managers to zero in on the big name players in the NFL—an obvious point. But more often than not, throughout the year there are plenty of situations where the middle tier guys or even the lower tier guys are entertained for various reasons.
In Salary Cap leagues, those guys are regularly looked at for cheaper options you can utilize and then sell high.
In other leagues, we may see middle tier guys and lower tire guys sitting on the bottom of a roster or being entertained as trade bait.
Then, of course, there is always the bye week fill-in, a roster add due to injury and well, you get where I am going with this.
If you were to put the Jets under a microscope and take a good hard look, you may find something surprising. It may be odd, and unexpected, and you may even second guess what you are seeing.
The New York Jets were expected to come into this year and be a run dominant team; they have more than exceeded that expectation thus far. But when you Think About It, most people wouldn’t consider the Jets an elite Fantasy backfield.
Why?
Well, for one, the Jets have always been considered one dimensional despite having two quality backs.
For the most part, Jones has always been looked at as “the guy” for the Jets while Washington has always been viewed as ancillary. I also believe that the actual stat lines and history surrounding Jones and Washington seems to slip through the cracks; as if nobody truly knows what they should about this backfield.
Let us take a look at the two gentlemen pounding it out week in and week out.
Leon Washington, or “Little Leon” is not so little anymore. If you take a look at his stats the past two years and where he is headed today, Washington can be viewed more properly for what he is: A dangerous threat, and a viable Fantasy option that gets better every year consistently.
| Rushing Stats – 07 To Present I Passing Stats - 07 To Present |
|
Year |
Rush |
Yards |
Avg. |
TDs |
Rec. |
Yards |
Avg. |
TDs |
|
2007 |
71 |
353 |
5.0 |
3 |
36 |
213 |
5.9 |
0 |
|
2008 |
76 |
448 |
5.9 |
6 |
47 |
355 |
7.6 |
2 |
|
2009 |
29 |
118 |
4.1 |
0 |
6 |
42 |
7.0 |
0 |
But for as much as those stats say, what they don’t say about the little guy is the frequency of use in the red zone. Washington garners roughly 66% of the red zone carries for the Jets, and if you combine that with his value as a prominent backfield receiver, and his explosive speed on the outside and off tackle, Washington begins to show the potential for greater Fantasy value this year.
You can handcuff him, grab him off waivers and plug and play, or keep him around as a great replacement guy for injuries or bye weeks now that they are approaching.
Is he the next Adrian Peterson? No. But every roster needs a quality RB that can fill in or provide additional points which is where Washington comes in handy.
Thomas Jones, last year’s AFC rushing champion, cemented his new occupancy in New York with back to back 1,000+ yard seasons in his first two years and is on pace to add a third 1,000 yard season as a Jet. Jones has speed, versatility, power, and can run north, south, east, and west making him an all around back with a very high ceiling.
| Rushing Stats – 07 To Present I Passing Stats - 07 To Present |
|
Year |
Rush |
Yards |
Avg. |
TDs |
Rec. |
Yards |
Avg. |
TDs |
|
2007 |
310 |
1119 |
3.9 |
1 |
28 |
217 |
7.8 |
1 |
|
2008 |
290 |
1312 |
4.5 |
13 |
36 |
207 |
5.8 |
2 |
|
2009 |
34 |
161 |
4.7 |
2 |
1 |
-1 |
-1 |
0 |
Jones is just as much a double threat as Washington, which makes his value extremely high going forward. With the type of focus on the running game the Jets will employ this year you have to expect Jones to see his Fantasy value rise considerably as the season moves on, and it may increase more than expected.
Jones is in a more run friendly environment than he was a year ago, so with the inevitable added touches he will have you have to think his value is going to sky rocket.
The ‘X’ Factor:
One of the more important reasons to the Jets backfield gaining ground (no pun intended) in the Fantasy realm is not the Jets’ schedule, not the ability of both men, but rather their head coach.
Rex Ryan, a defensive guru in his own rite, has integrated the two TE system affording running backs much better running lanes, and better backfield receiving opportunities. But what we tend to forget, is that Ryan comes from the three back system associated with Baltimore.
His familiarity with this system boads well with the one-two punch of Jones and Washington, and gives Ryan a plethora of options to work with. Both runners will benefit greatly from Ryan’s knowledge and experience in this system which makes the Jets’ backfield more dangerous than previously thought.
So, what does this mean in regard to Fantasy?
Ryan has already dedicated about 20 touches a game or more to Washington—8 more than last year— (carries, receptions, and returns) which means this guy is getting points awarded to him more frequently than a frequent flyer card. He is signed through this year making a paltry $535,000 dollars. With Shone Greene in the mix it’s hard to say at this point whether he will be brought back, but he could have value in a number of systems if he searches for greener pastures.
Jones on the other hand, is signed through 2011 and unless the Jets start bringing in more quality receivers the guess is Jones will be the primary focus of the offense ala Brian Westbrook style. Considering Jones can do it all, his value in all league formats becomes very intriguing.
In The End:
A lot of times, what I try to do is pay more focus toward the myriad of managers out there who DO NOT have a stout team. There are just as many managers right now who wake up every morning and look at their roster with a wince rather than a smile. It makes things hard and often it is those managers who think there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.
Having a stacked team does help at times yes, but that doesn’t mean your sub-par team doesn’t have a chance; so long as you know who to look at and have some good info to think about.
So, for those of you out there who are on a constant lookout for a good trade, or a pickup guy you can count on, or a great bargain in Salary Cap leagues, Jones and Washington are worth a serious look. This season will boad well for both of them—better than ever I think—making both players a nice little secret that have a bright future.
Think about it.
