Favre had another underwhelming performance for his fantasy owners last week, passing for only 167 yards and a TD in the Jets' route of St. Louis. His yardage production has declined each of the past two weeks but on the bright side, he didn't turn the ball over last week. He faces a so-so New England pass defense that gives up 201 yards a game so he has a chance to get some things done this week. The Patriots shut him down in the first meeting, holding him to 181 yards and a TD so don't look for Favre to go off in this one. He has modest fantasy upside this week.
Jones is on a serious roll. He rushed for 149 yards and 3 TDs last week and has now scored eight times in his last five games. The Patriots have a decent run defense, giving up only 100 yards a game, so Jones will have to work for every yard he gets on the road Thursday night. He's become the focal point of the Jets' offense with Favre rarely looking to throw downfield so he'll get plenty of carries. He's playing at a high level so even though this isn't the best of matchups, there's no reason to sit him.
After flirting with fantasy relevance, Washington has settled back into his backup role behind Jones. He got more work than usual last week as the Jets sat their starters for most of the fourth quarter, rushing for 54 yards and catching four passes for 14 more. But he isn't likely to get more than 10 touches in this game, so he isn't a strong flex option even in larger leagues. He's strictly a matchup play in PPR leagues and this isn't the week to start him.
With the Jets building a commanding lead early last week, Coles didn't get much of a chance to do anything as he caught only one pass. It was a major letdown for his owners but look for him to bounce back this week since the game will be much closer. He caught three passes for 72 yards in the first meeting with the Patriots and has scored three TDs in his last three games against New England. Forget about how frustrating he was last week and get him in your starting lineup this week -- especially in PPR leagues. You won't be sorry.
Like Coles, Cotchery was a non-factor last week as the Jets spent most of the game handing off to Thomas Jones. But Favre will be busier this week and that means Cotchery will be on the receiving end of several passes. He caught only one pass in the first meeting with New England, but he has a strong history of doing well against the Patriots. In his prior four games, he caught six passes three times and scored three touchdowns. He's been money most weeks in PPR leagues and this shapes up to be a game where the Jets will need to throw the ball a lot to win. That makes Cotchery a quality starting option.
Keller was the one member of the Jets' passing game who didn't kill his fantasy owners last week. He had one of his best games of the season, catching six passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. The bad news is he's been far too unreliable to trust so even though he should be needed this week he isn't someone you can start with a high amount of confidence. He's an upside play because Favre is fond of throwing to his TEs - especially in the Red Zone -- but don't start him over someone with a stronger pedigree.
Feely continues to do a good job of filling in for Mike Nugent and there are no indications Nugent will be back anytime soon. Feely has converted 16 of 20 FGs attempts this week and should get 1-2 FG opportunities on the road against a solid defense on Thursday night. He's a solid starter if you need him.
The Jets' defense spearheaded the rout over the Rams last week. They forced five turnovers, including a 50-yard touchdown, and had three sacks to give their fantasy owners a huge week of production. Their run defense has become impenetrable and they are very aggressive in the secondary. There is nothing scary about this matchup. Matt Cassel lacks big-time talent and is prone to mistakes in the pocket. So if the Jets can shut down New England's running game, they should be in line for a few sacks and 1-2 takeaways at least. They're playing extremely well so fantasy owners should keep rolling with them.
Cassel continues to give his fantasy owners little bang for their buck. Although he threw for 234 yards last week in the win over Buffalo, he failed to throw a touchdown pass for the second consecutive game. His inability to throw downfield has all but eliminated Randy Moss from the game plan and made the Patriots much easier to defend. The Jets held him to 165 yards and 0 TDs in the first meeting so he isn't someone you should count on for big numbers Thursday night. Sit him unless you're in dire straits at the position.
Morris had a lengthy pre-game workout before last week's game and the early indications are he'll return for the Thursday night matchup with the Jets after missing the last three games with a knee injury. In his absence Green-Ellis has played quite well as the starter but Morris is one of Bill Belichick's team favorites so if he's able to play I expect him to have a meaningful role. Even if he doesn't start, I expect him to share carries with Green-Ellis. This is a tough matchup against a good Jets' run defense, though, so Morris isn't a good starting option this week. Pick him up if he was waived in your league because he should be of value down the stretch. But don't expect him to do much this week if he does return.
Faulk will likely see his rushing attempts diminish now that Morris is back, but he remains the top RB option in the passing game so he'll retain mild flex value in PPR leagues. This is a good week to start him as a RB3 since the Patriots will probably struggle on the ground and the only thing Matt Cassel can do with consistency is throw short passes. Faulk was very active in the first meeting with the Jets, catching four passes for 50 yards. Look for him to be targeted 6-7 times this week and deliver solid production for those who use him in PPR leagues.
Green-Ellis had the best game of his career last week, rushing for 105 yards and scoring his fourth TD of the season in the win over Buffalo. He has done a fine job of filling in for the injured Sammy Morris and has gained the coaching staff's trust with his tough running and nose for the end zone. His role could be diminished this week, however, as Morris is expected to return. It's unlikely Green-Ellis will be cast aside given how productive he's been, but Morris was playing very well before his injury so we could be looking at a RBBC situation. Toss in the fact the Jets' run defense is one of the best in the league, giving up only 76.4 yards a game, and it might be a good idea to look elsewhere for RB help this week. He has a shot to score given how he's scored in four straight games, but don't expect much in terms of yardage.
Moss had another quiet game by his standards last week, catching five passes for 53 yards in the win over Buffalo. He'll likely see plenty of the Jets' top CB - Darrelle Revis - this week and as long as Cassel is his quarterback his fantasy upside is limited. He's been solid in PPR leagues, catching at least five passes in each of his past three games but he hasn't scored since Week 7 and this isn't a good week to project him to find the end zone. Start him as a WR2 but don't expect a Randy Moss-esque performance.
Welker just keeps on rolling. He has at least six receptions in every game this season and was a monster in PPR leagues last week, catching 10 passes for 107 yards. He's a quarterback's best friend because he runs precise routes, has great hands and excels at moving the chains in critical third-down situations. With the Jets focusing heavily on Moss, Welker will continue to thrive in the intermediate zones and put up a healthy number of receptions again.
It's been another quiet season for Watson. Blessed with quality talent, he's never put together any consistency and remains a fantasy tease. He has only five receptions in his last three games and has never caught more than three passes in a game against the Jets in his career. Don't look for that to change on Thursday night.
Gostkowski remains the one member of the Patriots you can start with extreme confidence every week. He has made 21 of 23 FG attempts and with Cassel at QB, he'll continue to receive a healthy number of FG attempts as the season goes along. He's a Must Start in all leagues.
The Patriots haven't delivered much punch for their fantasy owners. While other defenses score with regularity, the Patriots haven't produced a single defensive or special teams TD this season. They lack a strong pass rush and they don't force many turnovers in the secondary. The good news is Favre hasn't played like Brett Favre for several games so they have a chance this week to be a solid fantasy option. Hopefully, you can do better than that, though.
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