Aaron Rodgers officially announced that his future plans include playing football, and playing for the New York Jets.
The Jets’ interest in Rodgers was the worst kept secret of the off-season. The front office made it clear they wanted the former back-to-back MVP, and now it seems like they’ll get him (by the time this article is published, they may already have him).
When Rodgers joins the Jets, it brings the question, what does that mean for the 2023 Fantasy Football season?
Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson put up over 1,100 yards with the killer QB combo of Zach Wilson, Mike White, and Joe Flacco. To say that’s impressive would be an understatement. Wilson was the WR21 in his rookie year, and now his stock is boosted even more. The last time Aaron Rodgers played with a talent like Garrett Wilson, it was Davante Adams. When Adams was fully healthy during the year, he easily posted over 1,300 yards and more than 10 TDs with Rodgers. We could see this type of jump with Garrett Wilson in 2023. If/when Rodgers joins the team in New York, Wilson becomes a WR1 option next year.
Former Packers’ WR Allen Lazard signed with the Jets during free agency. Lazard played his whole career with Rodgers, and a sense of familiarity could lead to him seeing more targets. However, chances are Lazard won’t see as many targets as people expect. The Jets will continue to establish the ground game, and Lazard will be heavily utilized in that aspect of the offense. He caught 60 passes for 788 yards in 2022, and it will most likely be less this upcoming season. In 2023, Lazard is a possible Flex/WR3 option.
The biggest question mark going in this receiver room is Elijah Moore. Moore had a promising rookie season, putting up just over 500 yards and 5 TDs, but his production fell off last season with 447 yards and just 1 TD. To make matters worse, Moore’s frustration grew so much that he requested a trade at one point during the season. It’s hard to blame Moore for his frustration towards the QB play, and he will more than likely be happier with Rodgers under center. It’ll be interesting to see how new Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett utilizes Moore’s abilities. He’s incredibly versatile, and he can be very effective if they decide to put him back in the slot where he’s best. If Hackett can use Moore in a Deebo Samuel-like role, he can be a true Swiss Army knife weapon for New York. All hypotheticals aside, it’s tough to pinpoint what Moore’s fantasy production will look like, but right now he’s a Flex/WR3 option with WR2 upside.
Odell Beckham Jr. has been rumored to join the Jets, but he’s not on the team yet, so I won’t go into that yet. Additionally, it’s widely assumed that with the Lazard signing, Corey Davis will either be traded or cut, so I didn’t go into that either.
The Aaron Rodgers addition is going to be big for the Jets. Not just in Fantasy Football, but this was a team that was a QB away from competing in the playoffs. Now, they have a real QB, a talented roster, and a chance to make a splash in the AFC. He immediately raises the ceiling for any WR on this roster, and the Jets WRs will be names to watch in Fantasy Football in 2023.
