The next team up in a series that will answer one important 4-EYED fantasy question from each of the 32 clubs in the NFL heading into the 2020 season is the New York Jets.
When Jamison Crowder signed with the New York Jets in 2019, many analysts and members of the media kind of diminished this signing due to a more high profile player signing with the team on offense in free agency, that player being Le’Veon Bell. With the hopes that incumbent number one wide receiver Robby Anderson and then second-year quarterback Sam Darnold would continue building on their rapport that they started to build towards the end of Darnold’s rookie year, to say that Crowder was an afterthought on that offense isn’t a stretch to say heading into 2019.
Then week one happened.
- 14 receptions on 17 targets for 99 yards
- 17.3 fantasy points in 0.5 PPR/24.3 fantasy points in full PPR
In games in which Darnold played in 2019, it was very clear to see that Crowder was his go-to target when he found himself in a jam. Heading into 2020, there was optimism that Crowder might be in a position to take over as the top receiving option on this team. Throw in the fact that Robby Anderson signed with the Panthers in free agency and depth in the receiving corps was thin entering the 2020 offseason, the sky seemed to be the limit for Crowder.
However, in the NFL draft, the Jets beefed up their offensive line with the drafting of Mekhi Becton and added to the receiving corps by drafting second-round pick Denzel Mims out of Baylor to serve almost as the future de facto WR1 on this team. The Jets, also, in free agency signed journeyman Breshad Perriman to the wide receiver corps and he is, as we speak, slated to line up at the X wide receiver position, a position commonly held by the WR1 on a given team.
With additions along the offensive line, which is sure to help provide Sam Darnold with more time to look for other receivers and throw the ball, and the newest additions at wide receiver, we should probably ask the question is Jamison Crowder still the WR1 on his own team?
Reasons For Optimism
Jamison Crowder led all receiving options for the Jets in 2019 with 122 targets which made him the WR16 on the season. Of those 122 targets, 16 were in the red zone which was good enough for WR13 in the NFL. He led the team in target share and was heads and tails the most productive member of that receiving corps in receiving yards, targets, and touchdowns. An even more interesting stat is his average depth of target on a given pass attempt was 8.07 yards. Sam Darnold, on the season, had an average depth of target 8.8 yards. It’s no wonder they’re so good for one another, one doesn’t pass the ball that far and the other doesn’t run that far to earn receptions. How could you NOT like Crowder’s chances of repeating, statistically, as the WR1 on the Jets in 2020?!
Reasons For Pessimism
Even in a season that saw Crowder targeted early and often, he had ZERO games with 100+ receiving yards, he had 9 games of 8 fantasy points scored or less on the season, and only averaged 9.9 fantasy points per game using 0.5 PPR scoring. With the additions of Perriman and Mims, two big-bodied, fast receivers, as well as the improved protection along the offensive line Sam Darnold all of sudden has plenty of options and most importantly TIME take shots deep and improve up his aDOT from last season. All of which doesn’t make Jamison Crowder truthers too excited.
Answering The Question
Is Jamison Crowder still the WR1 on his own team?
Jamison Crowder ‘clearly the best wide receiver’ https://t.co/oWmXLzVxgE
— Rotoworld Football (@Rotoworld_FB) August 16, 2020
That blurb from Rotoworld which was in response to practice reports from Jets training camp recently clearly answer the question. YES, he will still be the number one receiver on this team in 2020. Rookie Denzel Mims is nursing a hamstring injury which has made him unavailable for practice. Combine that with a lack of OTAs and minicamps for the rookie to get acclimated to this offense, Mims is already behind the 8-ball this season and it doesn’t look like he’ll be up to snuff anytime soon. As far as Perriman is concerned, he had a few productive games last season on a high volume passing offense. That is NOT the identity of this Jets offense. He’ll more than likely be a boom or bust play for the Jets this season.
Now, just because Crowder should be the number one receiving option on this team doesn’t mean he is a viable play in all league formats. Because of his reception upside yet lack of yardage upside, I would ONLY invest draft capital in Crowder if I were in 0.5 PPR or full PPR leagues. His reception potential means nothing in non-PPR.