The quarterback dominos are falling into place. Justin Fields signed a 2-year 40M dollar deal to be the new quarterback of the New York Jets. You have to wonder if his time with the Chicago Bears playing against the Detroit Lions played a factor in the signing. The Jets are now coached by the Lions’ former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. The Jets have struggled to find their next franchise quarterback and after two years with Aaron Rodgers, they now look to add some youth. Fields brings plenty of excitement and flash to the team but not everyone is a winner because he is there. Let’s break down the winners and losers of the Justin Fields signing.
Winners of the Justin Fields Signing
Justin Fields: QB- New York Jets
It was rumored that Justin Fields wanted to stay with the Pittsburgh Steelers but only if they would guarantee him the starting job. I can’t blame him. After last season where he got the nod for the first six games and despite of 4-2 record was benched for Russell Wilson. He assumedly got that starting guarantee from the Jets when he decided to sign with them. How could they not? Tyrod Taylor is a great backup to learn from but not a starting talent in the NFL.
Fields now gets to start for the most talented team he has ever played for. Having a top wide receiver in Garrett Wilson and a star running back in Breece Hall, he has the weapons to win. The Jets also hold the 7th overall pick in this year’s draft and can select another weapon for Fields or trade back, acquire more assets, and still walk away with talent at the skill positions.
Fields rushing upside makes him dynamic for fantasy football. If you take his numbers from the six games he started in 2024 and extrapolated that out to 17 games he would have finished as the QB12. For Dynasty managers who have been holding him, it’s a massive win and anyone who can draft him late this year will see a great return on value.
Garrett Wilson: WR- New York Jets
Who doesn’t love a college connection? We have seen it with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, Derek Carr and Davante Adams and now Justin Fields and Garrett Wilson are reunited with the New York Jets. Wilson has to be in love with this move. In their two years together at Ohio State Wilson totaled 11 touchdowns in a very crowded receiving room.
Having Fields on the team means instant chemistry. Something that was lacking last year with Aaron Rodgers and was more highlighted when they brought in Davante Adams. Now Wilson is secure as the dominant Alpha on the team. This will squelch all the trade and hold out rumors that have been swirling around Wilson for the past few months. The Jets probably bring in another receiver in the NFL draft which only helps Wilson as he can move around the formation and get off some top coverages. I expect Wilson to get back to being a top 5 fantasy wide receiver this season.
George Pickens: WR- Pittsburgh Steelers
Not much has gone right for George Pickens the past few days. Justin Fields signing with the Jets is the first thing that has worked out well. There were plenty of rumors and speculation that Fields wanted and was wanted back in Pittsburgh. That would have killed any value that George Pickens had after the DK Metcalf trade.
Pickens is a good receiver but never seemed to mesh with Fields. He failed to score a touchdown in the six games they played together and only twice was over 75 yards. Most of Pickens’s fantasy production came when the Steelers switched to Russell Wilson. Not having Fields back in the Black and Yellow means the opportunities and touchdowns will be more predictable for Pickens even with Metcalf on the roster.
Winners of the Justin Fields Signing
Malik Nabers: WR- New York Giants
Another quarterback signing and it’s not with the New York Giants. Malik Nabers’s options that can help him level up his game are growing slim. At this point, it seems like an incoming rookie will be starting for the Giants and that has to make the fantasy manager pause. Yes, Nabers is good but he needed 170 targets in 2024 to reach 1204 yards and 7 touchdowns. Those were targets coming from Daniel Jones and Drew Lock. Is a rookie quarterback going to be that much better out of the gate? Probably not.
Nabers managers had to have had higher hopes for free agency. With Sam Darnold landing in Seattle and now Justin Fields signing with the Jets it leaves the options pretty slim. It would seem that the Giants are the lowest-wanted destination right now. Something no one, especially a Nabers wants to see. Nabers has all the giftings to be a top-five wide receiver in the league and fantasy just needs a competent quarterback to get him the ball. Maybe a rookie can do that but right now I’m not loving any of this for Malik Nabers.
Breece Hall: RB- New York Jets
While Breece Hall is a very talented back it seems the Jets keep bringing in players to usurp his carries. First, they drafted Braelon Allen last season on top of having pass-heavy Aaron Rodgers under center. Now they bring in Justin Fields. A very dynamic and capable rusher. When they need a big play or a first down or get creative near the end zone who will get the ball? I guess that it will be a mix of Fields and Hall which isn’t what we want for fantasy.
We want our running backs to have the ball in their hands more. Hall had 209 carries last year which is a solid number but shy of a comfortable pace. Hall did receive 76 targets in 2024 and 95 in 2023 so there might be some hope there. I worry that the most targets a Chicago Bears running back saw when Justin Fields was their starting quarterback was 51 on the season and that was back in Fields’s rookie year. If Hall starts to lose passing work because of Feilds rushing then his fantasy value will plummet. After finishing as RB16 I expect him to finish in that range again in 2025.
Let us know who YOU think is the biggest winner and loser over at The Fantasy Advice Network.
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