CORTLAND — I don't do Fantasy Football. I don't have time to update a roster every week. More than that, I don't want to be in the press box secretly rooting for individual players. Nor do I want to keep up with the touchdowns being scored around the NFL when I'm trying to be an objective journalist covering a game.
But I do have plenty of friends who play Fantasy Football and they're nearly unanimous in their opinions to stay away from anyone playing for the Jets. They suggest the Jets roster is a toxic mix of unproven and unproductive players.
"Their skill-position people aren't any good," said Bill Zotti of Orlando, a longtime Fantasy Football player. "You're not going to take their quarterback. You're not going to take their running backs and you're not going to take their wide receivers."
AP (2); Bill Kostroun
DREAM ON: TE Jeff Cumberland (left), RB Chris Ivory (center) and WR Stephen Hill aren't expected to put up big numbers this season, even though they may have big roles in the Jets' offense.
Ouch!
Check out the 2013 Fantasy Football rankings on CBSSports.com, which offers three sets of rankings, and the Jets get no love. Geno Smith, the rookie from West Virginia, is the 31st-ranked quarterback (out of 32) on two of the three lists, while Mark Sanchez is nowhere to be found. Among the running backs, Chris Ivory is in the lower 20s, while Santonio Holmes, Jeremy Kerley and Stephen Hill are ranked in the 60s among the wide receivers. Kellen Winslow is near the bottom of the various lists of tight ends, while Nick Folk is ranked last among the kickers.
"Their offense isn't going to get in the red zone enough to score points," Zotti reasoned.
The Jets say it's pure fantasy their offense will be inept in 2013.
"I believe in us," said tight end Konrad Reuland. "Being a part of the offense, we expect nothing but to be the best. I think we have a lot of very talented pieces and we have great coaching that's going to put us in position to win."
There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of the Jets' talent. Their quarterback situation remains unsettled; Ivory only recently returned to practice; and with Holmes sidelined indefinitely after foot surgery, there is no proven big-play threat at wide receiver. Winslow, the Jets top choice at tight end, skipped practice yesterday because of his gimpy knees. Defensively, there could be as many as six or seven new starters. None is named Darrelle Revis. That's enough to scare fantasy leaguers, though the Jets remain optimistic.
"I'd draft our whole team," said offensive tackle Austin Howard, who doesn't play Fantasy Football. "We have a lot of depth on the offensive line. Our linebackers know how to hit the hole. Our tight ends are up-and-coming and our quarterbacks are getting better every day. There isn't one person I wouldn't want to have on my fantasy team."
What happens in Fantasy Football has little relevance to the Jets season, but the lack of proven players, especially at the skill positions is troubling. What the Jets' need is one, two or three players to have breakout seasons the way wide receiver Victor Cruz did two years ago when the Giants won the Super Bowl.
Maybe Hill is that guy, but he's still learning. Maybe it's the speedy Clyde Gates, if he can get healthy after missing yesterday's practice with a head injury. Maybe it's tight end Jeff Cumberland or maybe it's Ivory, though don't look for him to gain a lot of rushing yards in Marty Mornhinweg's pass-happy offense.
It would help if the starting quarterback is named soon, though head coach Rex Ryan hinted yesterday he may go into the final preseason game without making a choice. It also would be ideal for Holmes to get back on the field for the season opener against the Bucs, though that seems unlikely.
For now the Jets' woes on offense are a harsh reality, especially to those building their teams for fantasy.
george.willis@nypost.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment