Football season is right around the corner, and with that comes the beloved fantasy football drafts. People will look at anything and everything when it comes to drafting the right group of players to take their team to the promised land. The Jets have three running backs who can potentially have an enormous season and shock the fantasy world. But, which one would it be? There is a case to be made for each one.
Isaiah Crowell
Isaiah Crowell can turn into a workhorse for Gang Green this season. He has a skill set similar to Chris Ivory, who had the best fantasy season as a Jet in recent memory. Not only will Crowell get most of the carries, he will be the primary red zone option as well. He can turn into a touchdown machine for New York.
Crowell brings another key piece to the fantasy table, and that is reliability. He has yet to miss a single game throughout his four year career. If there’s one thing that can screw over a fantasy team, it’s injuries. Crowell is a perfect stash to maintain a viable starter throughout the entire season. Along with staying healthy, Crowell rarely loses points. In 64 games and 737 carries, he averages 4.2 yards per carry and has only fumbled six times.
Only 2 RBs have played in all 64 regular season games the past 4 seasons:
Frank Gore & Isaiah Crowell
By the numbers: @IsaiahCrowell34 → https://t.co/sTv421lyaJ pic.twitter.com/OhGYHCbCDi
— New York Jets (@nyjets) March 24, 2018
Although he may not provide you RB1 numbers, Crowell is a solid bench/flex stash who will provide consistency throughout the entire season. For standard 12-team redraft leagues, Crowell should be picked within rounds 8-10.
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Bilal Powell
We’ve all been waiting for Bilal Powell’s break out season, and it feels so close, but yet so far. Powell is coming off yet another career year, posting 774 yards and five touchdowns (both career highs). Matt Forte is gone, possibly giving Powell the carries he’s been desiring for years. But will he get them?
The Jets went out with the old, and in with the new. With the addition of Isaiah Crowell, Powell may find himself in the same exact spot. Powell, Crowell and Elijah McGuire may wind up as a 3-back committee. Crowell taking early downs/red zone touches, McGuire as the primary 3rd down back, and Powell being used for his elusiveness/explosiveness whenever needed.
Powell isn’t a bad option, but not a very good one either. With minimal redzone opportunities coming his way, he is a risky pick in fantasy. Powell is nothing more than a late stash in fantasy leagues.
Elijah McGuire
Eli McGuire is coming off a solid season as a rookie, and only looks to get better. According to runningback’s coach Stump Mitchell, McGuire has the potential to be the next LaDainian Tomlinson. Yes, the real LT. The comparison may be a stretch, but I see where he’s getting that from. He’s a do-it-all guy with tons of speed.
McGuire seems to be the frontrunner to become the Jets 3rd-down back in 2018, which could bring up some serious opportunity. He is the best pass-catcher in the Jets backfield with Matt Forte gone, who racked up 37 catches during his final season with the Jets.
For redraft leagues, McGuire is a risky pick. He may not find his stride for quite some time. But if you’re in a dynasty league, do not hesitate to take McGuire. He will be on the board very late in the draft, and could wind up being an elite steal in a couple of years.
– James Cunningham is a staff writer for Full Press Coverage Jets and covers the New York Jets. Like and follow on Follow @JCunninghamNFLFollow @FPC_Jets
