Braelon Allen is the under-the-radar NY Jets fantasy player you need to target

With the NFL season fast approaching, so too is the fantasy football season. As per every season and every team, the NY Jets are bound to have some impact fantasy players that the collective football world doesn't see coming. This season, rookie running back Braelon Allen is that guy.

The Jets' running back situation is an ambiguous one. The No. 1 spot is firmly occupied by superstar Breece Hall, but after that, it's anyone's guess right now.

There's Israel Abanikanda, who disappointed in his rookie season last year and seems to be a potential cut candidate. Then there are 2024 rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis. We don't yet know who will find themselves with the second-most carries, but whoever receives those additional carries is going to be an interesting fantasy piece for potential owners.

If Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, there are going to be scoring opportunities in this offense. Garrett Wilson is sure to eat up many of those, as is Breece Hall, but outside of those two, the points are up for grabs. With newly acquired Mike Williams' injury history, the offense doesn't have a lot of sure things outside of Hall and Wilson.

Early signs out of camp are pointing to Braelon Allen taking on that No. 2 running back role. His pass-catching versatility has surprised those who thought he would be exclusively a short-yardage back. This means he has the potential to be a versatile asset, which bodes well for his chances to stay on the field and also his chances to get in the end zone.

Braelon Allen will have a role with the NY Jets in 2024

Standing at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, Allen has the body to be impactful in a part-time role right away. He should be a threat in short-yardage situations from day one.

Even if he isn't a consistent big-play threat, he is likely to see some third-down and goal-line work, where he can get you an easy six points. For that reason, he can be impactful on your fantasy team with only a handful of touches.

If he can parlay that ability into the passing game as well, Allen can become one of the Jets' three or four most productive offensive pieces. With Aaron Rodgers delivering the ball, it will be even easier for the rookie to ingratiate himself into the dual-threat role.

That, in turn, opens up everything for his fantasy football potential. A threat in the passing and rushing game, Allen can be on the field in any situation or any part of the field.

He can be a serious red-zone threat, especially in the play-action game, which means a lot of points for his teams. There are snaps to be had behind Hall, and Allen remains the odds-on favorite to be the Jets' primary RB2 entering the summer.

Allen is the Jets' running back you want to target as a potential handcuff for Hall. The Wisconsin product was one of the team's top spring standouts, working the most with the first-team offense while Hall was sidelined with a minor injury.

There's no reason to be concerned about Allen's ceiling behind Hall, either. Gone are the days of the every-down back. No matter how talented Hall is, there is going to be a second running back who has every opportunity to put up solid fantasy numbers. Aside from that, we all know that Hall is not impervious to injury.

Allen obviously isn't a player to target early in fantasy drafts, but in a league where you can never have enough running backs, he might not be a bad option to have on your bench, especially as the injury bug hits late in the season.

Allen is especially someone to target in dynasty rookie drafts. Lock him up early before he is a hot commodity in 2025. And for perspective, as we head into draft season, according to Fantasy Pros, he is ranked as the 67th running back in the league.

If Allen carries over his momentum into the summer, he will be able to play a role on the Jets this season. All he needs is the opportunity, and based on the optimism out of Florham Park, expect him to get that opportunity early.