Should Jets' Aaron Rodgers be a Fantasy Starter in Matchup Against Patriots in Week 3?

Taking a look at the Jets best fantasy starting options for week 3.

Week 3 of the NFL regular season begins with an AFC East battle between the New York Jets and New England Patriots.

Let’s take a look at the best fantasy football starting options for the Jets, after already looking at the Patriots.

Looking for start/sit help? Be sure to check out the FantasySP Who Should I Start tool.

Aaron Rodgers Fantasy Outlook

Rodgers had a solid showing in week 2, although it came with just 176 passing yards. In two weeks, Rodgers has completed 31 of his 51 passes for 343 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He doesn’t add a rushing element with his game, especially after the Achilles injury he suffered last season.

Rodgers should have most of his offensive weapons at his disposal, but it’s worth noting that Breece Hall is banged up with a quad injury.

The matchup for Rodgers against the Patriots’ defense is a bit below average. New England has allowed opposing quarterbacks to average 13 fantasy points through two weeks. The unit stifled Joe Burrow in week 1 before the Geno Smith-led Seahawks had more success in week 2. The Pats could also be down several starters and key contributors, which works in Rodgers’ favor.

Rodgers is projected for 15 fantasy points this week, which is just below average.

Running Back Fantasy Outlook

Hall and Braelon Allen are the two New York running backs who have played this season.

Hall has gotten 42 touches across 83 snaps and was the team’s workhorse coming into the season. He’s rushed 30 times for 116 yards and a touchdown, while adding 91 yards and a score on 12 receptions and 14 targets.

Allen has 11 touches across 29 snaps, with most of that coming in week 2. He’s rushed eight times for 41 yards and a score, while adding 32 receiving yards and a touchdown on three grabs and five targets.

On a short week, it wouldn’t be crazy to expect Allen to get a little more work, especially knowing Hall is a bit banged up. I still expect Hall to get at least double the amount of touches Allen gets.

The matchup against the Patriots’ defense is below average again, with the unit allowing opposing backs to score 19 fantasy points per game so far. RBs have 93 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and 60 receiving yards on 10 catches and 12 targets so far.

Hall is projected for 19 PPR fantasy points, which is tied for the highest projection. Allen is projected for seven points.

Wide Receiver Fantasy Outlook

It’s no surprise that Garrett Wilson is the Jets’ most-targeted receiver, but the production hasn’t followed quite yet. He’s got 10 grabs on 17 targets, going for 117 yards and no scores. 

Wilson had 11 targets in week 1 before just six in week 2. He’s played 104 offensive snaps, the most on the team among backs, wideouts and tight ends. Wilson has two grabs on three red zone targets.

Allen Lazard has 13 targets, although nine of those (and most of his stats) came in week one. He’s got 100 yards and two scores on eight catches. Lazard has two catches on four red zone targets.

Mike Williams, Xavier Gipson and Malachi Corley also have played snaps this season.

Williams is at just 46 snaps through two games, as the team looks to ease him back after an injury-riddled past. He’s got 19 yards on one catch and target, with it coming outside the red zone.

Corley has a four-yard catch across two snaps played - it came outside the red zone. Gipson hasn’t been targeted across 36 offensive snaps.

It’s a favorable matchup for the Jets’ wideouts, as the Patriots’ defense has allowed 40 fantasy points to opposing wideouts per game so far - that’s the fifth-most in the league. Receivers have 381 yards and a touchdown on 38 catches and 50 targets.

Wilson is projected for 15 PPR fantasy points in week 3. Lazard is projected for nine points, while Williams is at six.

Tight End Fantasy Outlook

Tyler Conklin leads a group of four Jets’ tight ends who have played this season.

Conklin has played 99 offensive snaps, but gotten just four targets. He’s made two grabs for 16 yards. Conklin has no red zone targets.

Jeremy Ruckert has no catches on three targets across 38 snaps. He was targeted once in the red zone.

Brenden Bates has played four snaps, while Anthony Firkser has played one. Neither have a target.

The lack of TE production for the Jets is even more hampered by a Pats’ defense that’s allowed just five fantasy points per game to the position. Tight ends have just 50 yards on six catches and 10 targets across two weeks.

Conklin is projected for six PPR fantasy points in week 3.

Kicker and Defense Outlook

Greg Zuerlein is the Jets’ kicker.

He’s made his only field goal try this season, while hitting all four of his extra points.

Zuerlein is projected for eight fantasy points, which makes him an average option for the week.

The Jets' defense was supposed to be what carried the team this season, but they got mauled by the Niners in week 1 and didn’t look great against the Titans in week 2. 

They are dealing with some injuries and are likely to be down a couple starters/big contributors, but a weak Patriots’ offense makes the Jets’ D/ST quite appealing to fantasy owners.

In fact, the Jets’ D/ST is projected for 11 fantasy points, tied for the most in week 3.

Who to Start in Week 3

This matchup is the worst one on Thursday so far, but being an inter-division battle spices things up a bit. I see this being a defensive battle, with New York winning 16-13. Check out more odds and betting details here.

I like more of the Jets’ fantasy options than I did the Patriots, but there aren’t a lot of great options either.

I think Rodgers will fare better than the projections are saying, but he’s still not worth a standard league start against the Pats’ defense. I’d consider him in a deeper league, or a two-QB setup. I think he could finish in the top half of the league by the end of the week.

Hall needs to be starting in all formats if he’s playing this week. I don’t like him as much as the projections do, but if he scores a couple times, he definitely could contend for the top PPR RB spot in week 3.

Allen was a popular waiver wire addition this week, but unless Hall is out, or a report comes out that he’ll split the work with Allen, then I don’t like Allen in standard leagues. I do think Allen could be worth a start in deeper leagues, depending on your league setup and other roster options. 

Wilson maybe isn’t a lock to play in some fantasy owner’s eyes after two average weeks, but after what the Seahawks did in week 2 against the Pats, I’m confident in Wilson in all league types for week 3. Get him in those starting lineups!

I don’t like Lazard, Williams, or any other Jets’ wideouts as standard league starting options. Lazard is the best deep league starting option of the bunch, but I’d need to see your other options before making a true call on him. I’d avoid starting Williams, Gipson and Corley in deeper leagues at all costs.

Conklin is a deep league starting TE option only, but I’d do my best to avoid him as well. He hasn’t produced much yet and the matchup is brutal. Ruckert, Bates and Firkser really shouldn’t be on any fantasy teams to begin with, so it goes without saying to avoid those players.

I see Zuerlein getting a couple field goal attempts, so I’d be fine rolling with him in what I see as a low-scoring, field goal battle. If you have been streaming your kickers so far, then I’d definitely throw Zuerlein’s name into the list of options this week.

I was high on the Jets’ defense before the season began, but they’ve underwhelmed so far. I still think they are a unit to start this week, just because the Patriots’ offense is bad. A couple big plays might be all it takes for the Jets D/ST to be the highest-scoring one of week 3.

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