2015 Review
The New York Jets put up a surprisingly good 2015 campaign, finishing just short of a playoff spot with a 10-6 record. More than anything, it was the team's offense that improved the most. In his first season in New York, Ryan Fitzpatrick put up the best statistical season of his career. Meanwhile, Chris Ivory also had a career-best performance on the ground.
At wide receiver, both Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker impressed big time. The two combined for 189 receptions, 2,529 yards and 26 touchdowns.
With Ivory now gone and replaced by Matt Forte, the Jets should be even more potent this season. Here's a look at the 2016 version of the Jets through a fantasy lens.
Quarterbacks: Ryan Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick's drama-filled offseason aside, now that he's returning to the Jets the expectation has to be that he'll build off what was a strong 2015 campaign. The veteran tallied 3,905 passing yards with 31 touchdowns and just 15 interceptions. That was good enough for him to finish as the 11th-best fantasy quarterback. That was only the second time in his career that Fitzpatrick finished as a QB1 option.
The better news here is that Fitzpatrick finished as the most-consistent fantasy quarterback, tallying 15-plus fantasy points in 88 percent of his starts. That's surely a sign that he's going to continue performing at a high level from a fantasy aspect this season. Adding someone of Forte's ilk and receiving ability in the backfield will only help this further.
Running Backs: Matt Forte
Forte has finished as a RB1 option in six of his eight seasons in the NFL. When taking into account PPR-heavy leagues, that numbers goes up to seven. Despite missing three games with the Chicago Bears last season, Forte still finished as the eighth-best fantasy running back. He tallied nearly 1,300 total yards while accumulating 44 receptions on 58 targets.
Now with the Jets, the expectation here has to be that Forte's stellar fantasy career will continue. Here's a team that boasts a much better offensive line than he ran behind in Chicago. It also possesses a more capable passing game with Fizpatrick and the team's two 1,000-yard receivers from a season ago. Look for a stellar season from Forte in 2016.
Wide Receivers: Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker
Not only did Marshall finish as the third-best fantasy receiver last season, he ranked second at his position in consistency. In reality, it was the best performance of Marshall's illustrious career. He caught 63 percent of the 173 balls thrown in his direction for 1,502 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns. With an ADP that has him as the ninth receiver off the board, Marshall's value is right there among the best in football.
On the same note, Decker found a way to finish last season as the 13th-best fantasy receiver. He tallied a 61 percent catch rate on 132 targets, putting up double-digit scores in the process. The only real issue here is whether Decker's targets will go down with a more capable receiving running back in Forte existing on the Jets' offense. Though, Decker's ADP suggests that he's also going to be a great value. He's currently being drafted as the 25th receiver off the board. That's an absurd value in the middle of the fifth round.
Tight Ends: Jace Amaro
Jets tight ends caught eight passes last season. A grand total of eight passes. And while some of that had to do with Amaro missing the season to injury, it's not like he's produced at a high level in the NFL. He caught just 38 passes as a rookie in 2014. With all the weapons on the Jets' offense, there's absolutely no reason to even consider Amaro a fantasy relevant option. That's the truth here.