A second-round pick last year, New York Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore appeared in 11 of the team’s first 12 games before suffering a quad injury on Dec. 5 that landed him on the Reserve/Injured list and cost him the final five games of the season. Despite missing more than a third of the season, Moore led the club in targets (77), receiving yards (538), and touchdowns (five), and he also finished third in receptions (43).
Given the offseason to heal up, Moore is fully healthy now and a central figure in what looks like a potentially dangerous receiving corps that also features first-round pick Garrett Wilson, and veteran Corey Davis, whose first season in Gotham was marred by injuries — he put up a 34-492-2 line in nine games after spending his first four years with the Tennessee Titans. Former second-rounder Denzel Mims and Braxton Berrios, who finished second with 46 catches in 2021, round out the group.
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While that’s a solid unit on paper, there are still questions aplenty about second-year quarterback Zach Wilson (knee), who struggled as a rookie and recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery that could keep him out of Week 1 and maybe even beyond. Veteran Joe Flacco is a capable backup to be sure, but the team invested the No. 2 overall pick on Wilson, and they need him to make significant strides after he threw just nine touchdown passes a year ago.
Despite some uncertainty about the quality of play at the quarterback position, there’s a lot to like about Moore’s potential this season. Coming out of Ole Miss, the 22-year-old had the right set of skills for a young QB, namely good hands, the ability to get open quickly, and the speed to make things happen after the catch — it’s why he averaged seven targets per game. He’ll operate out of the slot again in 2022 with Davis and Wilson penciled in on the outside.
Fantasy football outlook
Assuming he stays healthy, Moore is a good bet to again lead the Jets’ receivers in multiple categories as his role to work close to the line of scrimmage should earn him plenty of opportunities to make plays. While he’s best suited as a midrange or even low-end WR3, there’s some legitimate upside here, and Moore could make a push toward WR2 territory this season.