Continuing our fantasy impact article series, we take a look at Corey Davis joining the Jets on a 3-year deal. Honestly, this might get completely turned on its head once the draft is concluded, but let’s go with what we know at the moment.
The Jets didn’t have alot of talent at the position last season, and then they allowed Breshad Perriman to leave town. That created a gap that the team needed to fill on the outside. Step up Corey Davis?
QB & Coaching Situation
The biggest question is who is going to be under center and what does the offense look like as a result? Currently, the team have the second pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Meaning any of the incoming rookies (outside of Trevor Lawrence) are on the table. For the purpose of this article, we’ll assume that the team sticks with Sam Darnold.
Personally, I don’t think Darnold is all that bad- he has just had a lack of talent around him, and had to deal with the ‘coaching’ of Adam Gase. Darnold should hopefully be better, just with a change of coaching, with Mike LaFleur leading the offense. LaFleur has worked under Kyle Shanahan during his time in the league, since 2014, so it’s fair to say that the team are likely to try and implement a similar system.
Surrounding Talent
The Jets have some decent receivers, but not alot of game-changing talent. The jury is out on Denzel Mims who the team drafted last season, after he was limited last season due to injury. Mims is likely to take a step forward from him 23 reception, 387 yard season but there should be plenty of opportunity for Davis on the outside. The team’s lead receiver last year was Jamison Crowder, which is not great for real-life success. New York are screaming for a leading pass catcher but have they found one?
Davis’ Career to Date
Davis was drafted by the Titans in 2017, and started out struggling before having a good season in 2018. That success was mainly down to having 112 targets, as he was only marginally more efficient.
2019 and 2020 turned out to be the beginning of the end for Davis, as the team moved on from him as their lead receiver, opting for AJ Brown. Despite being used as a secondary receiver, his overall usage in the offense didn’t really change.
Davis should be able to operate as a red-zone threat as well as a deep option for the team
2021 Outlook
For me the fantasy impact of Corey Davis moving to the Jets is hard to truly unpack until we know who is going to be throwing the ball. However, I think it’s fair to say that he is likely to carry the stink of his early career come draft season. Currently, in my early projections, I have Davis as a borderline WR3. Which is likely where you’ll be able to pick him up. However, unlike other receivers in that range, Davis could take a step up in a new offense and become a borderline WR2.
For dynasty, you are likely able to pick him up for around the price of a second round pick. I don’t mind that price for a player that has shown he can have fantasy relevance, particularly in the red-zone.
Track the major offseason moves with our 2021 Offseason Tracker. Remember you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram if you want to connect with us. Feel free to slide into those DMs if you need help!
Image Credit: Jim Brown – USA TODAY Sports
