One of the more interesting aspects of participating in fantasy football is owning great players who play on horrific teams. Normally, watching the Cleveland Browns or San Francisco 49ers can be a grueling viewing experience, but when you have a particular player to hone in on, it becomes significantly easier to endure the ineptitude of poorly constructed teams. In the case of the New York Jets, it becomes essential to focus on the individual performances of a few notable athletes rather than looking at the bigger and decidedly uglier picture of New York’s other team.
Team: New York Jets
Position: Wide Receiver
Percent Owned On Fantasy Teams: (Yahoo Fantasy): 19%
Fantasy Points Total Thru Week 4 (Half PPR): Projected: 34.05 Actual: 34.40
Specifically, wide receiver Robby Anderson has been a notable bright spot for a Jets team the lacks serious playmakers. His big-play ability when it comes to his receiving yards per reception (17) combined with his constant presence in the end zone (44.4% end zone target share, eighth amongst receivers) make him an electric fantasy player that can easily beat his projected point contributions in one play. Although Anderson has only caught 12 of his 24 targets, only two of those targets were dropped, suggesting that this disparity is the result of relatively poor quarterback play.
What makes Anderson a noteworthy fantasy pick up right now is the soft the schedule that the Jets face in the coming weeks. In the next two weeks, Anderson will face the subpar secondary of the Browns and Patriots, allowing the Jets the opportunity to air out the ball more frequently. Regardless of who the Jets play, Anderson will see his fair share of deep targets and his 9.6 fantasy points per game give him a nice floor to stand on every week.
While Anderson will most likely never become a completely reliable flex player because of who his throwing to him, it’s hard to look past his impressive athleticism and effectiveness in the end zone. Although he may have limited use in PPR leagues, the fact that he can get downfield consistently combined with his solid target volume make him worth a potential starting role if one of your flex players is injured or is off due to a bye week.
