Fantasy Football Team Preview: Jets

FanHouse is knocking out your fantasy football 2010 team previews one day at a time. With the new season on the horizon, we're covering all 32 potential champions.

Meet the ...
Team full of question marks (relax Gang Green, we're talking about fantasy here, not real-life). Second-year Mark Sanchez was brutal in his rookie campaign (his 13.3 points per game ranked 29th among all QBs). Will he improve and if so, how much? The fate of the team's offense rests in his hands. Braylon Edwards won't have to learn the Jets offense on the fly this season, but with Santonio Holmes now in town and the development of Dustin Keller, can Sanchez keep them all -- and their respective owners -- happy? Shonn Greene was impressive in his first season, but can he handle the 17-week grind that comes along with being the No. 1? How will he fare sans the services of superb run-blocker and Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca ? Will LaDainian Tomlinson eat into his touches? Both Jets RBs lack the speed to make plays on the outside; if Sanchez can't get it going through the air, Greene and Tomlinson could be looking at eight in the box all season long. Speaking of long, how long will Rex Ryan's defense, which most have tabbed the league's best in 2010, take to gel? It's great to see Kris Jenkins back, and Darrelle Revis is one of the best in the biz, but they've also added Antonio Cromartie, Jason Taylor, and first-round pick Kyle Wilson to the mix. On paper, the unit looks improved, but Taylor is older and Cromartie still can't tackle (ask Shonn Greene, he'll tell ya). Are we ready to anoint them the No. 1-ranked defense before they've even played a snap together?

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The Breakout
Dustin Keller. I'm well aware that Shonn Greene is the most popular pick for team breakout, but I'm not buying -- at least not at his current price (ADP: 15) -- for a lot of the reasons mentioned above. Keller, on the other hand, should find plenty of room to operate with Holmes and Edwards drawing attention/stretching the field on the outside and Greene/Tomlinson squarely in the crosshairs of opposing LBs. Sanchez should look often to Keller not only as a safety valve, but as a legitimate option down seam. Keller's plus-athleticism will help him take advantage of linebackers in single coverage, even more so when he's operating out of the slot. His much-improved blocking should ultimately result in more field time, and most importantly, Sanchez likes/trusts him (Sanchez/Keller hooked up for TDs in each of the Jets' three playoff games). Even Rex Ryan is excited about Keller's fantasy appeal.

The Bust
Braylon Edwards. This one's almost too easy. Sure, Edwards had his moments a year ago, but changing QBs and uniforms has never been the antidote for stone hands. With the Jets, Edwards tallied eight games of three or fewer receptions, another eight with 45 yards or less, and he saw the end zone just four times in 12 contests. And that was before the Jets had a playmaker like Santonio Holmes on the other side. Toss in the emergence of Dustin Keller and an offense that will still favor the run, and it's hard to see Edwards doing anything but disappoint (ADP: 89). Jerricho Cotchery gets an honorable mention here because barring an injury, he'll undoubtedly get lost in the shuffle. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees can make fantasy stars out of their No. 3s, Sanchez can't. It's sad, too, because Cotchery -- as a sure-handed, possession-receiver type opposite Holmes -- is probably a better fit for this quarterback/offense.



Share The Depth Chart
QB1 - Mark Sanchez
QB2 - Kellen Clemens
RB1 - Shonn Greene
RB2 - LaDainian Tomlinson
RB3 - Joe McKnight
WR1 - Santonio Holmes
WR2 - Braylon Edwards
WR3 - Jerricho Cotchery
WR4 - Brad Smith
WR5 - David Clowney
TE1 - Dustin Keller
K - Nick Folk

The D/ST
As mentioned previously, three new faces highlight the Jets defensive unit. First-round pick Kyle Wilson is a highly-skilled cornerback, but will only play nickel-based packages due to the presence of Darrelle Revis and newly-signed Antonio Cromartie. That's what you call premium talent. I find it hard to believe any team will be able to pass effectively against the Jets this season -- just like last -- and opposing QBs might find things even tougher now that the Jets have a legit pass-rusher in veteran Jason Taylor. Obviously, Taylor isn't what he used to be and he's no longer an every-down guy, but he's still an upgrade for a unit that ranked 18th in the NFL in sacks last season. Kris Jenkins returns from a knee injury to anchor the defensive line, while Bart Scott, David Harris (IDP god), Calvin Pace, and Bryan Thomas make up a formidable, run-stuffing linebacker corps. No guarantee the Jets will finish the season as fantasy's top-ranked D, but they should easily finish within the top five.

On the special teams side, the Jets signed former Dallas kicker Nick Folk, which could either be a serious downgrade from Jay Feeley, or no change at all. Wait, why am I talking about kickers? Former USC running back Joe McKnight should take over kick/punt return duties. He's very much like former Jet Leon Washington -- lightning in a bottle. Keep an eye on him. As the team's third-string running back, he could see some significant work in the running game if/when Tomlinson goes down to injury.

The Skinny
• Greene may be the team's No. 1 RB, but it'd be a shocker if he didn't come off the field on most, if not all, passing downs. Tomlinson is no doubt the superior pass-catcher of the two and is well-versed in the screen passing game. He might even help throw a wrinkle or two into the Jets playbook; we know he can chuck it (seven career passing TDs). Throw in the contributions of Joe "Reggie Bush-lite" McKnight, who can also do damage as a pass-catcher in the open field, and Greene will be lucky to catch 10 balls in 2010. PPR leaguers, you've been warned.

• Remember Greene's huge 53-yard TD run against the Chargers in last year's playoffs? Well, there's a good chance we don't see that happen again in 2010. Gone is Jets Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca, who was no longer at the top of his game, but still had the footwork and knack for run-blocking that second-round pick Vladimir Ducasse and second-year guard Matt Slauson simply don't have (those two will compete for the starting LG gig). The rest of the O-line remains intact with D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold as headliners, but don't believe for a second that losing a key piece like Faneca won't hurt. The question for fantasy owners is, how much?

• Santonio Holmes will be suspended the first four games of the season, which means two things: One, Holmes will be a bargain on draft day. Two, while defenses are busy keying on Braylon Edwards, Dustin Keller, and Jerricho Cotchery those first four weeks, deep leaguers can sneak in the back door and grab the athletically-gifted David Clowney. There's your Jets sleeper for the first quarter of the season.

• Cornerback Dwight Lowery, along with safeties Brodney Pool and Eric Smith will all compete for the starting free safety gig. No matter how it shakes out, it could be argued that any one of the three would be an upgrade over malcontent Kerry Rhodes, who now calls Arizona home. From an IDP standpoint, Pool and Lowery are the ones to keep an eye on. Strong safety Jim Leonhard is better suited as a run stopper, meaning the Jets will look for the guy who proves strongest defending the pass. As a cornerback with size, Lowery fits the bill.