3 NY Jets players to stay away from in fantasy football

The 2022 NFL season is almost upon us, and with that also comes the arrival of the 2022 fantasy football season. For the first time in what feels like forever, the NY Jets actually have a handful of potentially fantasy-relevant players this year.

Breece Hall is ranked as high as a top-15 running back in some PPR fantasy circles. Elijah Moore is a trendy pick to be a breakout fantasy star. Even someone like Michael Carter has maintained fantasy relevancy despite the addition of Hall.

The Jets' offense hasn't been known to produce stellar fantasy numbers in recent years. It hasn't been since the 2015 season that the Jets were actually a very fantasy-relevant team.

That's not to say this season will replicate the magic that Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brandon Marshall, and Eric Decker were a part of some seven years ago, but the unit does have a chance to be significantly improved.

However, not every player who's receiving fantasy attention deserves it, at least not to the extent that they currently are receiving said attention.

Whether due to a lack of opportunities, inconsistent player, or injury concerns, expectations should certainly be tempered for the following three Jets players in fantasy leagues.

If you have a fantasy football draft coming up, it might be best to avoid the three players on this list. Let's take a look at those players and explain why they may be a bit overrated in the fantasy football community.

3. Garrett Wilson, WR, NY Jets

The Jets selected Garrett Wilson 10th overall in this year's draft because they believed he had the potential to be a legitimate star in this league. And while he certainly possesses that potential, it might take him some time to get going.

Wilson is currently ranked around the WR44-WR50 range by most fantasy outlets in the same tier as players like Chase Claypool, Kadarius Toney, and other rookie wideouts such as Chris Olave and Treylon Burks.

Many will be drafting Wilson with the hope that he can break out in a new-look Jets offense, but it might be best to explore other options. Don't expect big numbers from Wilson, especially early in the year.

The rookie wideout struggled with drops at times this summer and is currently penciled in as WR3 on the Jets' roster. His early-season targets might be limited with the likes of Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, Tyler Conklin, and likely even Breece Hall ahead of him on the pecking order.

There are others like C.J. Uzomah and Braxton Berrios who should factor in as well. The Jets have too many mouths to feed and it's unlikely that Wilson emerges as a top target early on.

It should also be noted that the Mike LaFleur/Kyle Shanahan offensive system is notoriously a challenging one for rookie wide receivers to adapt to. It's why we didn't see Elijah Moore find his groove until the middle of last season.

Wilson is a much more appealing target in dynasty leagues, but if you're looking to target an upside stash at the wide receiver position in re-draft leagues, you might be better off going with someone like Olave or even George Pickens.

2. Zach Wilson, QB, NY Jets

The Jets significantly improved their roster this offseason in an effort to surround young quarterback Zach Wilson with as much talent as possible. The goal was to avoid making the same mistakes they made with Sam Darnold.

They're off to a great start too as Wilson has been given an offensive line that's above-average on paper, a much-improved receiving corps, and a running game led by the duo of Breece Hall and Michael Carter.

There's no reason why Wilson shouldn't show significant signs of improvement in 2022, but when it comes to fantasy, he's still a risky play.

Wilson was bad last year, both in fantasy and real-life terms. His supporting cast didn't do him any favors, but many of Wilson's struggles came down to his own inconsistencies.

The Jets hope that Wilson will put those inconsistencies behind him, but that's very much to be determined. Unless you're looking for an upside QB2 in 14-16 team leagues, I'd stay away from Wilson.

Even aside from his inconsistencies, Wilson has now suffered knee injuries in consecutive years. There are legitimate durability concerns and he seems unlikely to suit up for Week 1.

Turn to Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, and obviously Trey Lance before you take a chance on Zach Wilson in fantasy this year.

1. C.J. Uzomah, TE, NY Jets

Most assumed when the Jets signed C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin this offseason that Uzomah would be the 1A to Conklin's 1B. Instead, it seems like Conklin has emerged as the go-to guy at the position.

The former Minnesota Vikings tight end was one of the stars of the summer and, in actuality, appears primed to be the No. 2 passing option in this Jets offense behind Elijah Moore to start the year.

For whatever reason, Conklin still isn't getting the fantasy respect he deserves and should probably be a hotter commodity in the fantasy world, but that's a story for another time.

As for Uzomah, this leaves him without a defined role in the Jets' offense. He'll still get his snaps, sure, but it's hard to say what his target share might be.

The Jet shave Moore, Davis, Conklin, Hall, and probably Berrios all ahead of Uzomah, not to mention Garrett Wilson and Michael Carter. How many targets will Uzomah realistically receive?

That's why it's a bit of a surprise that most fantasy outlets still have Uzomah as a borderline TE2 in some leagues. Yes, that means he's ranked ahead of Conklin.

If you're drafting a Jets tight end, it should be Conklin. Uzomah shouldn't be fantasy relevant this season unless Conklin suffers an injury. Don't be fooled by the rankings — Conklin is the guy, Uzomah is TE2.