Odell Beckham Jr. and 3 players the NY Jets should avoid in free agency

3. The NY Jets should avoid Ezekiel Elliott

The No. 4 overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft has had a good career, but his efficiency has dropped off dramatically over the past few years. The emergence of Tony Pollard has been a big reason for that, but overall, Ezekiel Elliott isn’t the same running back he was when he entered the league.

When Elliott joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2016, he was a lethal runner, and his ability to catch the ball from the backfield made him one of the best fantasy running backs in the NFL.

Fantasy football stats don’t obviously translate to wins every week, but Elliott’s 2018 season made him one of the most valuable running backs in the league with 1,434 rushing yards, 77 catches, and 567 yards receiving.

However, since that season, his stats have decreased, with his 2022 campaign being his worst so far. Elliott finished with 876 yards on a poor 3.8 yards per carry. His 17 catches for 92 yards were also easily new career lows.

Elliott's touchdown stats have still been good, which makes him an intriguing player in the red zone, but his continuous degression in yards should scare the Jets away.

With Breece Hall and Michael Carter leading the pack, the team may be better off with a cheaper veteran such as Leonard Fournette or Latavius Murray, despite Elliott's reported interest in the Jets.