Early fantasy expectations for Jets defense

The New York Jets have all the pieces to be a top defense in fantasy football in 2018. Can it all come together to help fantasy owners win their league?

The New York Jets come into the 2018 NFL season with plenty of swag and confidence in their ability to become an elite defense. The only thing fantasy football players are worried about is can they be confident in the Jets defense to lead them to a fantasy football championship.

The Jets defense features playmakers at every level this season, starting with Leonard Williams who controls the defensive line. The team picked up his fifth-year option this spring and are expecting one of Pro Football Focus top 25 players under 25 to make a major leap forward in 2018.

Darron Lee, Jordan Jenkins, and free agent acquisition Avery Williamson help set the tone for the linebackers. Williamson, who came over to the Jets from the Tennessee Titans this offseason, is a tackling machine. He totaled 92 tackles last season to go along with three sacks.

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Williamson and Lee will be called upon to control the middle of the defense this season. Jenkins plays the outside linebacker role and will be needed to help revitalize a pass rush that hasn’t been there for quite some time for the Jets.

The Jets secondary, better known as “New Jack City”, is perhaps the strongest unit on the team. The unit is made up of an exciting second-year safety duo in Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye; along with steady veterans at cornerback in Buster Skrine and Morris Claiborne.

The big-ticket free agent for the Jets this offseason was cornerback Trumaine Johnson. The former Los Angeles Ram signed a five-year, $72.5 million contract that includes $34 million in fully guaranteed money. The Jets are expecting Johnson to be an elite number one cornerback for the next couple seasons.

As of this writing, the Jets have not allowed a touchdown yet this preseason, with the preseason finale this Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Jets have the top-ranked red zone defense in the preseason. Most of the defensive starters will not play in the preseason finale as they prepare for the regular season opener on Monday Night Football against the Detroit Lions on the road on September 10.

The Jets have a lot of great pieces on each level on the defense this season. Now it will be a matter of these pieces coming together to form a cohesive, elite unit that fantasy football team owners can win with.