Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, November 13th, 1:00 PM ET
Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Betting Odds: NE -3.0, 38.5 total via PFF.com
Network: CBS
Writer: Estevão Maximo (@estevao_maximo on Twitter)
New York Jets
Quarterback
Zach Wilson (Sit)
The New York Jets are 5-1 when Zach Wilson is their starting QB, and overall have the best record out of every team that selected a QB in the first round of the 2020 class, a group that includes the 40ers. for whatever is worth.
However, even with this recently-found, surprising team success, even the most optimistic Jets fans have no delusions about the play of Wilson in the first half of the year, and at this point, with a team that was capable of beating the mighty Bills at home, Robert Saleh will simply settle for micromanaging his young QB, and not letting him lose games for the contending Jets.
Ideally, you want to get out of this year knowing that Wilson is your guy moving forward, but the team simply can’t let him go hero ball and lose a game with multiple picks as he did against the Pats at home, not when it is 6-3, and right in the thick of things in the AFC. For the foreseeable future, Wilson is not really a relevant QB play outside of Superflex.
Running Backs
Michael Carter (Start, flex) James Robinson (Sit)
We’re all still lamenting the loss of Breece Hall, as the rookie back looked poised for a massive season, but as the Jets move forward with this duo, Michael Carter is still the guy you want to roster. The James Robinson truthers will point towards the increase in snap usage from 22 to 40 percent in his first two weeks in New York, but that was mostly fazing out Ty Johnson, which is what Robinson was brought in to do in the first place.
Carter held pretty steadily at snap shares of over 50 percent in those two weeks and is the go-to guy in passing downs. No one is going to give you the Hall upside even if one of these guys gets injured, but Carter’s floor is a safer flex play than hoping Robinson steals a touchdown for you.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Garrett Wilson (Start, WR3), Elijah Moore (Sit, Denzel Mims (Sit), Tyler Conklin (Start TE3)
The New York Jets sacrificed the potential of Elijah Moore and were rewarded with a victory against Josh Allen, and a shot at a winning season. The hope for Moore managers is that the Jets understand the value they have in Moore, and were just teaching him a lesson after refusing to deal with him following the trade request.
There’s been some talk about giving Moore more looks, no pun intended, in the slot, but until we actually see it, you just have to sit the former Ole Miss wideout and see what does go down. For now, all things flow through Garrett Wilson.
The 2022 first-round pick has been a revelation and with Corey Davis‘ injury, and everything that surrounded Elijah Moore’s status, is the one constant in a passing attack that doesn’t carry volume to really sustain a lot of fantasy-relevant options. After a drought from weeks 5 through 7, Wilson has averaged over 100 receiving yards in his last two games.
Tyler Conklin is coming off an-one catch 7 yards game versus Buffalo, but facing a Pats’ defense that is sixth worse in points allowed to opposing tight ends, and that he torched for two touchdowns in 10 targets back in week 8, Conklin is a very intriguing TE2 play.
New England Patriots
Quarterbacks
Mac Jones (Sit)
Once in a while, certain narratives grow, and spread like wildfire, leaving one flabbergasted as to why such a notion would garner such momentum, and this was the case with the Pats’ QB controversy. Thankfully, Bailey Zappe-fever seems to be a thing of the past, and New England will roll with Mac moving forward.
With that being said, any QB that gets the nod for the Pats moving forward isn’t much of a fantasy play. A variety of factors keep Mac Jones from being fantasy-relevant outside of Super Flex, and many of them go beyond the quality of his play.
New England’s attack lacks playmakers and going against a Jets defense that’s allowing 4.8 yards per play, there is just nothing to consider here.
Running Backs
Rhamondre Stevenson (Start, RB2) Damien Harris (Sit/Start flex)
It took longer than we expected, but Rhamondre-season is a full-go, and that’s regardless if Damien Harris returns to the fold or not, this week. Rhamondre Stevenson has done more than enough to earn the lead-back role, which doesn’t necessarily mean Harris won’t be a TD vulture if he’s active, making him a borderline flex play.
Nevertheless, Stevenson has outplayed Harris earning 4.8 yards per carry, to Harris’ 4.3, and also being a legitimate threat in the passing game, something Harris has never been.
Stevenson has had double-digit carries dating back to week 3 and has averaged 16 rushes in that period, remaining a very effective RB2 play each and every time. At this point, you shouldn’t sweat too much about a Harris return.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Jakobi Meyers (Start, flex), Tyquan Thornton (Sit), Kendrick Bourne (Sit), Hunter Henry(Start, TE2)
The New England passing hierarchy goes Jakobi Meyers, Stevenson, and…
…crickets chirping.
Surely no one was flashing their Jakobi Meyers late pick as a league winner before the season, but in this environment, Meyers is a great source of stability, and if the Pats’ opponent forces them to pass the ball even a little bit, you can pencil Meyers in for those 10 or so points.
After Meyers, the big threat in this passing attack is Stevenson, which we already covered. No other receiver enters the conversation, and although Hunter Henry hasn’t had a particularly impressive season, the former Charger can be viewed as a low-end TE2 coming ff three 50+ yard games in his last five performances.
Other than that, this isn’t the most exciting game from a fantasy perspective, but it certainly carries significant real-life implications with both teams vying for a spot in the postseason.