Tag: Zonovan Knight

The world has been introduced to Zonovan Knight and the world, and the Jets are better off for it

The world now knows about Bam Knight

It’s the type of players fans of the NFL love to follow on their career path. No, it’s not the flashy first-round picks that everyone already knows. It’s players that don’t hear their names called on draft weekend. Players that need to fight and scratch and claw their way just for an opportunity with an NFL team and earn their spot on a team’s 53-man roster. Players like Zonovan “Bam” Knight.

Knight was signed as an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina State. Knight was one of just 15 players in Wolfpack history to record 2,000 career rushing yards. In three seasons in Raleigh, Knight rushed for over 700 yards each season with 18 touchdowns, including ten in 2020.

He also showcased some receiving ability, catching 48 passes in three seasons, including 41 over his last two seasons in college. That said, he never recorded a receiving touchdown at NC State.

But his claim to fame coming out of college may have been his return ability. In 2021, Knight averaged 34.4 yards per kickoff return on 16 attempts. That led the nation, beating out SMU’s Bryan Massey by 0.1 yard per game.

Still, the kid they used to call “Bam Bam” always showed plenty of strength and excellent running ability during his time in Raleigh. Yet, he still went undrafted. Perhaps you can chalk that up to the value of running backs in general in the NFL. In any event, the Jets were happy to bring him along after the draft and give him his opportunity. And he ran with it, literally and figuratively.

After being a part of the initial 53-man roster after final cuts, Knight was eventually waived and would spend the season on the practice squad. When Breece Hall went down with a torn ACL against the Denver Broncos in Week 7, Knight was brought back to the active roster. About a month later, he finally got a taste of NFL action, when he made his debut in Week 12 against the Bears.

With Michael Carter out with an ankle injury, Carter and Ty Johnson combined for 131 yards on 19 rushing attempts. Knight saw 14 of those attempts for 69 yards, showcasing his vision and athleticism.

Week 13 against the Minnesota Vikings, Knight started asserting himself as the No. 1 running back while Carter is out. Knight out-snapped Johnson 47-28 while James Robinson saw just nine snaps.

Knight lapped the field with 90 rushing yards on 15 carries. No other player had more than ten rushing yards against the Vikings. Robinson rushed four times for ten yards while Johnson received just one rushing attempt — Johnson was a key factor in the passing game, however, seeing seven targets and catching six of them, as quarterback Mike White checked down often, including in the red zone.

Knight also saw plenty of pass-game work. Five catches on five targets for 28 yards for the rookie. Total it up, that’s 118 total yards on 20 touches. In two games, Knight has 221 yards on 37 touches (5.97 yards per touch).

The rookie also averaged 4.53 yards after contact per rush against the Vikings, which ranked second among 39 qualifying running backs in Week 13, per TruMedia (H/T Zack Rosenblatt).

When Hall tore his ACL in Week 7, there was genuine concern about the running back room moving forward in 2022. The Jets even traded for Robinson from the Jaguars, who is only two years removed from a 1,000-yard rushing season as a rookie. They still had Carter, who led the team in rushing last season as a rookie.

Yet, it’s the undrafted rookie from North Carolina State that is looking like the savior of the group in the homestretch.

Knight has earned the right to be the main back for the rest of the season as the Jets make their playoff push. Then in 2023, the Jets can sport a very good trio of Knight, Hall and Carter, which almost sounds like a name for a band. They’ll be the band of brothers going forward for the Jets.

Everyone now knows about Bam. And everyone, especially the Jets, is better off for it.

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Tunnel Vision

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Jalen Hurts 380-12 4
 Joe Burrow 286-46 3
 Geno Smith 367-3 3
 Jared Goff 340 2
 Justin Fields 254-71 1
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Christian McCaffrey 17-66
8-80		 1
Josh Jacobs 26-144
2-6		 1
Samaje Perine 21-106
6-49		 0
D’Andre Swift 14-62
4-49		 1
Tony Pollard 12-91
2-15		 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Davante Adams 8-177 2
Amon-Ra St. Brown 11-114 2
A.J. Brown 8-119 2
Tyreek Hill 9-146 1
Tyler Lockett 8-127 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Greg Dulcich 6-85 0
Noah Fant 4-42 1
Evan Engram 5-30 1
Cole Kmet 6-72 0
Gerald Everett 5-80 0
Placekickers XP FG
Greg Zuerlein 1 5
Mike Badgley 4 4
Robbie Gould 3 4
Matthew Wright 1 4
Matt Gay 2 3
Defense Sack – TO TD
Browns 0-4 3
49ers 3-3 1
Eagles 6-0 0
Cowboys 3-5 1
Chargers 0-2 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

The injuries were getting lighter and lighter. And then Week 14 happened.

QB Lamar Jackson (BAL) – Knee
QB Jimmy Garoppolo – Broken Foot
QB Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) – Ankle
RB Aaron Jones (GB) – Shin
RB Kenneth Walker (SEA) – Ankle
WR David Bell (CLE) – Hand
WR Quez Watkins (PHI) – Shoulder
WR Courtland Sutton (DEN) – Hamstring
WR Chase Claypool (CHI) -Leg
WR Treylon Burks (TEN) – Concussion
WR Jaylen Waddle (MIA) – Leg
TE Hayden Hurst (CIN) – Calf
TE Isaiah Likely (BAL) – Shoulder

Chasing Ambulances

QB Lamar Jackson – Injured his knee but it is not season-ending. Jackson will undergo further testing on Monday. HC John Harbaugh said they should know how long Jackson will be out by Wednesday.

QB Jimmy Garoppolo – Broke his foot and is lost for the rest of the season. It was fortunate that Garoppolo was unable to find a trade partner and that he remained a 49er when Trey Lance was lost for the year. This time, the 49ers do not have a former NFL starter ready to step in.

QB Tua Tagovailoa – Was on the injury report with an ankle injury last week, and then missed the final drive after injuring his ankle again. He had started limping earlier in the game after being sacked and the final strip sack by Nick Bosa sent him to the sideline. Tagovailoa downplayed the injury after the game but more should be known by Wednesday.

RB Aaron Jones – Was limited in practices because of his shin last week but wasn’t listed on the final report. He injured the shin again during the Packers’ win over the Bears and missed time but returned later in the game. But he was ineffective (2.9 YPC) on his nine runs while AJ Dillon had his best game of the season. The Packers head onto their bye which should help Jones get his shin healthy again.

RB Kenneth Walker  – He injured his ankle in the second quarter of the win over the Rams and spend the rest of the day watching the game with a shoe off while resting his leg on the bench. HC Pete Carroll said that it wasn’t sprained but it was “jammed inside.” Carroll said that the severity of the injury was known yet, so we should have more word by Wednesday with the first injury report. DeeJay Dallas replaced him and also left with a sprained ankle.

WR Courtland Sutton – Injured his hamstring before recording a catch in the loss to the Ravens. He’ll be tested to determine the severity. His absence prompted Jerry Jeudy to play more despite just coming off an injury himself. Better word should be given by Wednesday when the Broncos discuss their injuries.

WR Treylon Burks – Was hit helmet to helmet when he caught his first NFL touchdown and somehow held onto the ball even after the crushing hit in the endzone. HC Mike Vrabel said, “I think he’s doing OK from what I’ve seen.” He’s likely to be held out next week unless he can spin through the concussion protocol quickly.

WR Jaylen Waddle – Left the loss to the 49ers with an unspecified leg injury during the middle of the second quarter. He returned in the third quarter but only caught one pass for nine yards in the second half. His practices should be telling this week as they prep to play at the Chargers.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

QB  Tyler Huntley (BAL) – The third-year backup stepped in after Lamar Jackson was injured and finished the win over the Broncos. He only threw for 187 yards and one interception but ran for 41 yards and a score on ten rushes. Jackson isn’t initially expected to be lost for the season, but he seems likely to sit out Week 14 at the Steelers, if not more.  Huntley took over last year when Jackson missed the final four games of the season. He’s very much a “Jackson-lite.” He’s a good runner with 40 to 70 yards when he’s played and an adequate passer that has only thrown scores in two of his six career starts. He’ll be a downgrade to the receivers but offer fantasy value with his rushing yardage.

QB Brock Purdy (SF) – The 49ers selected the Iowa State grad as Mr. Irrelevant as the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He was the only other quarterback on the roster when Jimmy Garoppolo was lost for the season with a broken foot. Purdy is the starter now, and the 49ers signed Josh Johnson from the Broncos’ practice squad as the new back-up. Purdy may be the first Mr. Irrelevant to throw a touchdown, but he was still the ninth-best quarterback coming out of college. That’s better than other undrafted starters – Tony Romo, Jeff Garcia, Kurt Warner, Warren Moon, etc. Purdy threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.  He’ll face a tough Buccaneers defense this week, but his final three matchups of the fantasy season are the Seahawks, Commanders, and Raiders, who all sport below-average secondaries.

RB DeeJay Dallas / Tony Jones / Travis Homer (SEA) – If Kenneth Walker’s injured foot causes him to miss any games, this is the current set of running backs at the Seahawks’ disposal. Dallas was the initial replacement for Walker and ran for 37 yards on ten carries before injuring his own ankle. Tony Jones (7-14) handled the workload after that but was ineffective. Travis Homer missed the game on Sunday with a knee injury but has only served as  a very occasional third-down back. Homer caught a score on his two receptions for 45 yards in Week 12 versus the Raiders. Dallas would be the preferred replacement though he’s been just a marginal player for three years. Homer is another with only spot duty for the last three years. Dallas becomes fantasy relevant if he is healthy enough to play this week if Walker is unable to play. But there is no attractive fall back in Seattle.

QB Desmond Ridder (ATL) – Yes, he has not played a down after being the second quarterback drafted this year. And the Falcons have been adamant about the whole “Marcus Mariota is our quarterback” mantra. But the Falcons just lost their eighth game of the season and are at that point of the season where it takes a math whiz coupled with drug-induced optimism to think they can still make the playoffs. Mariota just to the visiting Steelers after completing 13-of-24 for 167 yards and one score with one touchdown. The calls to see a change are getting louder.

WR Christian Watson (GB) – The rookie that totaled ten catches for 88 yards and no scores through Week 9 just scored. Again. Twice. Over the last four games, Watson caught seven touchdowns and added a 46-yard rushing score this week as well. Whatever switch that flipped in his head apparently doesn’t turn off.

WR DJ Chark (DET) – He caught a touchdown on his two receptions for 16 yards in Week 12 and just posted five catches for 98 yards in the win over the Jaguars.  He’s starting to catch the attention of Jared Goff more. Jameson Williams also played on Sunday but failed to catch his only target. Perhaps he won’t immediately become a star that cuts into anyone else’s workload.

QB Deshaun Watson (CLE) – He finally made it back. A short two year-ish later, Watson started a game that was won by 13 points. That had almost nothing to do with him. Watson passed for just 131 yards and one interception against his old team and while they scored three touchdowns, none were by the offense. They returned a punt, returned an interception, and returned a fumble all for scores. Watson rushed for 21 yards on seven carries as the least productive runner for the Browns. Donovan Peoples-Jones (3-44) and Amari Cooper (4-40) were much less productive than they had been with Jacoby Brissett. It’s all a needed step to get  Watson back into shape but it’s going to take down a few receivers in the process right when fantasy playoffs are looming in the future.

RB Zonovan Knight (NYJ) – The undrafted fallback from Michael Carter shared the backfield with James Robinson (4-10) and Ty Johnson (1-3), but Knight was clearly the best option when he ran for 90 yards on 15 carries that included a 48-yard gain. Knight even added five receptions for 28 yards. Now the question is what happens with Michael Carter when he returns because Knight has already distanced himself from Robinson and Johnson.

RB Jordan Mason (SF) – Christian McCaffrey had his typical productive game against the Dolphins – 146 total yards, eight receptions, one touchdown. But this was the most recent “first time” that they were without Elijah Mitchell. Deebo Samuel (4-5) helped out though he was a game-time decision and played like it. Mason offered eight carries for 51 yards in relief of McCaffrey. That may be short of fantasy relevancy, but it is more than enough to want on a fantasy roster knowing that McCaffrey could get hurt.

RB Samaje Perine (CIN) – Popped up in the box score with 30 rushing yards and caught four passes for 52 yards when Joe Mixon left the Steelers game in Week 11. He ran for 58 yards and a score in Tennessee in Week 12 and added four catches for 35 yards. On Sunday, he was better still, running for 106 yards on 21 carries and catching six passes for 49 yards. Going to be hard to hand over all of the work to Mixon when he returns.

Huddle player of the week

Davante Adams – The Raiders trailed the Chargers 13-10 at the half and in the first five minutes of the third quarter, Davante Adams caught touchdowns of 45 and 31 yards. They were separated by just one Josh Jacob run. Adams ended with eight catches for 177 yards and two scores for his best game yet with the Raiders. He accounted for 177 of the 250 passing yards and remains every bit of the target sponge that he was in Green Bay.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Mike White 376 1 QB Lamar Jackson 20 0
RB AJ Dillon 119 1 RB Ken Walker 36 0
RB Zonovan Knight 118 0 RB Derrick Henry 38 0
WR Isaiah Hodgins 44 1 WR J. Smith-Schuster 39 0
WR Jahan Dotson 54 1 WR Amari Cooper 40 0
WR Trent Sherfield 75 1 WR Jaylen Waddle 9 0
TE Noa Fant 42 1 TE Dawson Knox 0 0
PK Mike Badgley 4 XP   4 FG PK Justin Tucker  1 XP 1 FG
Huddle Fantasy Points = 126 Huddle Fantasy Points = 18

Now get back to work…

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

Heading into Week 13, the teams that remain in contention get smaller and smaller in the NFL and in fantasy. This is the time top fantasy teams hope they can coast into their playoffs while the contenders have to fret over picking a defense or kicker because every point may count.

There is still transition on NFL teams though most of it is still related to the injury impacts. Starting now, teams slide into the “next year” mentality and will try out new players to evaluate their rosters.

Hopefully your still in the thick of the playoff race. Even if you aren’t, there’s always something to learn for next year.

Six items for this weekend:

1.) The Jets backfield – It was a surprise to see that James Robinson was inactive last week and that Zonovan “Pardon me?” Knight took his place. It was even more surprising to see Knight lead the offense with 14 carries for 69 yards. And no one was more surprised than James Robinson. Ty Johnson was given five carries and gained 62 yards that included a 32-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.  Robinson spoke with his RB coach and was told that the backfield will always be a committee approach and could change week to week.

HC Robert Saleh said that Knight had earned a spot in the rotation as the undrafted rookie was on the practice squad up until last weekend. He said that Robinson was still learning the system. Also notable, the trade for Robinson was for a sixth-round pick that could become a fifth-round pick if he gained 600 rushing yards. Robinson is currently at 415 yards.

What makes this even more interesting is that Michael Carter injured his ankle and hasn’t practiced yet. He may miss this game depending on what happens (or doesn’t) in Friday practice. The beauty of Breece Hall was that he handled around 20 touches per game and was a lock for a full-time workload. The Jets backfield is getting very hard to rely on right when fantasy playoffs are coming into focus.

2.) Deshaun Watson (CLE) – Needless to say, all everyone will watch Watson’s debut for the Browns against his old team. Maybe it won’t be much more than a rusty quarterback in  new system that likes to run and he does starts slowly. Maybe having a playbook and some practice time is all he needed. Maybe the media, Houston fans, and potential protesters will make this all into a circus.  At 4-7, the Browns have fallen from contention but there is every reason to want to end on a high note. This feels like a messy way to start.
It looks like Watson will be without David Njoku, so beware of assuming patterns to persist from his first game. It will also be interesting to see how much he runs.

3.)  WR Rashid Shaheed (NO) – Speaking of teams that are no longer in contention, the 4-8 Saints are sticking (at least for now) with Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback. But they have ramped up the use of undrafted rookie wideout Shaheed. The ex-Weber State receiver played there for five years as a kick and punt returner and totaled 146 receptions. His small school and lack of production left him out of the NFL draft but he’s become the No. 3 wideout in New Orleans.

He played almost as many snaps as Chris Olave (38) or Jarvis Landry (32) last week and had 28 in Week 11. The Saints are giving him a chance to be more than just a returner. He ran in a 44-yard touchdown in Week 6 and then caught a 53-yard score in Week 7. He’s been sparsely used but last Sunday, he ran once for six yards and caught passes of 35- and 18-yards as the Saints started to explore their roster more. He’s done well in abbreviated use and they are looking to involve him more. He’s 6-0 and is estimated to run between 4.3 and 4.4 40-time.

4.) Houston offense – The Texans once again spent their season trying to get their offense to stop sputtering and gain some consistent firepower. That happened in part with Dameon Pierce, who exceeded all expectations with six games of 100+ total yards and four scores in the first nine games. But Week 11 versus the Commanders was just ten runs for eight yards. Week 12 saw the same eight yards on five rushes in the loss to Miami. The Texans lost almost all their previous games, so why stop handing off to the only thing that used to work?

HC Lovie Smith, no doubt feeling the weight of losing, said that the change in workload was related to the ground game not showing enough to warrant forcing the carries in the backfield. They are at that part of a season gone bad where the fans and owners need to see there is still an attempt to find something that works better, hence the change to Kyle Allen at quarterback. The Texans may continue to focus on the pass at the expense of Pierce. Allen threw 39 passes in his debut, while Davis Mills only turned in one of his ten starts with that many passes. It hasn’t changed much for Brandin Cooks or Nico Collins yet, but at least Jordan Akins had a season-high game last week.

5.)  49ers backfield – For a unit that has so much fantasy potential, it is just getting to be a bigger headache to expect reliable results. Elijah Mitchell is out again with a <just pick something> for the next six or eight weeks, which is another way to say “maybe the playoffs.” Deebo Samuel contributes as a running back but was held out of practice yesterday which was a downgrade from his limited work on Wednesday. Friday practice and the injury report will disclose his status, but he is not trending in the right direction. That leaves just Christian McCaffrey from the A-Team.

He left last week complaining about knee irritation and then missed practice on Wednesday. According to HC Kyle Shanahan, the problem was caused by his knee brace.  McCaffrey said he would play this week, but he has made it deeper into this season than he did in 2020 or 2021. Just saying.

Even with McCaffrey there, the 49ers need to mix in one or two other backs. That should fall on Jordan Mason, Tyrion Price-Davis or even Tevin Coleman who is on the practice squad after being released earlier this season. The 49ers need at least one of them to assume the role for Elijah Mitchell. They may regret trading Jeff Wilson. If one of the three is allowed a significant amount of touches (compared to the other two backs), then he could offer surprising fantasy value and if McCaffrey was to miss time or be rested, it could allow one of the three to become a rarity – a new primary back in a great offense with good blocking in the final month of the season.

6.)  WR DeSean Jackson (BAL) – Sure, he is 36 years old. He changed teams six times and hasn’t scored more than twice in a season since 2018. He’s played in just two games as a Raven, but last week his two catches for 74 yards included a 62-yard gain in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Jaguars. Rashod Bateman left in Week 9 and Devin Duvernay is locked under 25 yards per game. Demarcus Robinson had one good showing in Week 11 but only one catch last week.

Jackson is more of a Daily Fantasy play. The Ravens need the help in the passing offense and there are a few soft secondaries looming that he could potentially exploit – Steelers twice and the Falcons with their No. 32 ranked pass defense. Again – no one has gotten rich off Jackson in many years, but he could help the Ravens while offering a cheap Daily play with upside.

Fantasy Football: 11 utilization stats to know from Week 12

Here are the utilization stats you need to know from Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season.

Here are the top utilization stats you need to know from Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season.

Tunnel Vision

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Josh Allen 253-78 3
 Justin Herbert 274-38 3
 Kyler Murray 191-56 3
Trevor Lawrence 321-1 3
Jalen Hurts 153-157 2
Running Backs Yards TD
Josh Jacobs 33-229
6-74		 2
Austin Ekeler 5-20
11-60		 1
James Conner 25-120
3-20		 1
JaMycal Hasty 12-28
5-67		 1
Miles Sanders 21-143
3-17		 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Justin Jefferson 9-139 1
Chris Godwin 12-110 1
Amon-Ra St. Brown 9-122 1
Zay Jones 11-145 0
Garrett Wilson 5-95 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Dalton Schultz 4-31 2
Josh Oliver 4-76 1
Jordan Akins 5-61 1
Travis Kelce 4-57 1
T.H. Hockenson 5-43 1
Placekickers XP FG
Justin Tucker 1 4
Nick Folk 2 4
Harrison Butler 2 4
Jason Sanders 3 3
Eddy Pineiro 2 3
Defense Sack – TO TD
Eagles 3-2 0
Dolphins 5-3 1
Chiefs 3-2 0
Bills 2-2 0
Vikings 3-0 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Aaron Rodgers (GB) – Oblique
RB Travis Etienne (JAX) – Foot
RB Elijah Mitchell (SF) – Knee
RB Michael Carter (NYJ) – Ankle
WR Chase Claypool (CHI) – Leg
WR Allen Robinson (LAR) – Foot
WR Darnell Mooney (CHI) – Ankle

Chasing Ambulances

RB Travis Etienne – Injured his foot and did not return to the game. HC Doug Pederson said that Etienne could have returned to the game but was held out just to play it safe. Etienne did not have crutches or a walking boot and appear to walk fine. He said he would be ready to go this week against the Lions.

RB Elijah Mitchell (SF) – Already missed most of the season with a sprained MCL and now he sprained the MCL in his other knee. He’ll get an MRI on Monday but the initial speculation is that he is not as bad as he was in Week 1. Notable too, Christian McCaffrey was dealing with “knee irritation” according to HC Kyle Shanahan.

RB Michael Carter – Injured his ankle in the win over the Bears and did not return.  He is due for an MRI on Monday to determine the severity but early speculation believes he will miss some time.

WR Chase Claypool – Had his leg buckle under him a bit during a catch and left the game. He’s a marginal fantasy player anyway, but he did lead the Bears receivers with two catches for 51 yards with Justin Fields out. More should be known after tests on Monday.

WR Allen Robinson – Injured his foot and will require season-ending surgery. It is an ending to a season even more disappointing than 2021.

WR Darnell Mooney – Injured his ankle in the loss to the Jets and it is believed to require season-ending surgery like Allen Robinson. It will be confirmed on Monday.

QB Aaron Rodgers – He was already playing with a fractured right thumb, and now Rodgers picked up an oblique injury. He underwent x-rays of his ribs that were inconclusive. He will have further testing on Monday.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

QB Sam Darnold (CAR) – Had his first start of the season and while he only threw for 164 yards and one score, he connected with D.J. Moore for 103 yards and a score on four receptions. He didn’t need to throw more than 19 passes, but still connected with Moore.

RB JaMycal Hasty (JAC) – With Travis Etienne out for nearly the entire game, Hasty stepped up to be the primary back and finished with just 28 yards on 12 carries versus the Ravens defense, but he added five receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown. Snoop Conner only ran three times for eleven yards. Etienne’s injury isn’t thought to be serious, but Hasty should be on the Etienne owner’s roster and if not, he’s worth stealing in case Etienne misses time.

WR Zay Jones (JAC) – Just set a career-high with 11 receptions for 145 yards in the win over the Ravens. Jones caught eight passes for 68 yards at the Chiefs in Week 11. He is trending up lately and is an option when the Jags must pass to stay in the game.

QB Kyle Allen (HOU) – He replaced Davis Mills but the results were similar. Allen passed for 215 yards and one score with two interceptions. Brandin Cooks (5-59) and Nico Collins (6-44) did see much improvement from the change in quarterback.

RB Dameon Pierce (HOU) – His production has trended downward badly in the last couple of games.  After Week 11 only produced 17 total yards, he was held to only 16 total yards at the Dolphins. The Commanders and Dolphins are not Top-5 defenses, but Pierce spent the last two weeks with anemic production.

Bears wideouts – Darnell Mooney is believed to have a serious and season-ending injury and Chase Claypool injured his leg in some undisclosed measure. Those are the two starting wideouts for the Bears who are currently missing Justin Fields as well. Dante Pettis (1-12) and Byron Pringle (2-12, TD) are the replacements and Pettis subs for Mooney who won’t be back. It is an offensive mess with all the injuries, but small opportunities exist.

RB Zonovan Knight (NYJ) – He was the practice squad player that they promoted up and then sat James Robinson on Sunday against the Bears. With Michael Carter leaving from an ankle injury, Knight went from just a name to be the primary running back for the Jets. He impressed. The ex-N.C. State running back was undrafted but did well enough in practices that HC Robert Saleh thought that the backfield could use a spark and gave him a shot that even Knight didn’t realize until Saturday. He set a Jets record when ran for 69 yards and caught three passes for 34 yards. Those 103 scrimmage yards are the most in a player’s debut in Jets history. To the waiver wire!

RB Ty Johnson (NYJ) – He only had nine carries over the first 11 weeks, but Johnson was pressed into duty with Michael Carter injured and James Robinson inactive. he ran for 62 yards on five carries that included a 32-yard rushing touchdown. He also caught a 16-yard pass.

QB Mike White (NYJ) – After slogging through the marginal play of Zach Wilson, the Jets opted for a change, finally, to White. All he did was throw for 315 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions and just one sack. White connected well with Garrett Wilson (5-95, 2 TD) and Elijah Moore (2-64, TD). HC Robert Saleh said that Wilson would stay out until he gets his confidence back. Watching White probably did not help.

WR Elijah Moore (NYJ) – It bears repeating. Moore has been a non-factor this year but he caught two passes in his first game with Mike White – a 42-yard completion and a 22-yard touchdown. It was just one game, but it was also the best game of the season for Moore who showed talent last year that hasn’t been seen in 2022 until Sunday.

RB Brian Robinson (WAS) – He not only produced his first 100-yard game, he showed up as a receiver as well. The rookie ran for 105 yards on 18 rushes in the win over the Falcons and added two catches for 20 yards and a touchdown. He only had four catches over his first seven games, so it is a positive development.

RB James Conner (ARI) – He ran for 120 yards in the loss to the Chargers and it was his first 100-yard game of the year. He was consistent with about half of that yardage prior to Week 12. Conner also caught three passes for 20 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the year.

WR Marquise Brown (ARI) – After spending five weeks on injured reserve, Brown returned and caught six passes for 46 yards in the loss to the Chargers. He was thrown a team-high eight targets and also led with six receptions. The schedule is not kind and he goes onto his bye this week, But Brown was cranking out 80-yard games and scored three times before his Week 6 injury.

QB Bryce Perkins / WR TuTu Atwell (LAR) – Maybe it will get better? The notion that what exists as the Rams now, compared to what just won the Super Bowl is mind-blowing. Matt Stafford has his second concussion in three weeks and that handled very carefully. It even caused speculation that Stafford could retire. All we can be sure of for now is that Perkins is not the answer at quarterback. To be fair, he’s playing without Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson was just lost for the season. There could be opportunity for a receiver and Atwell is the direct replacement for Robinson. He caught a 62-yard touchdown in Week 11 but only managed two catches for 23 yards at the Chiefs on Sunday.

RB Jordan Mason (SF) – He hasn’t done much for the 49ers so far, but Elijah Mitchell injured his other MCL and may miss time. Christian McCaffrey was described as having a knee irritation by HC Kyle Shanahan who said that he “hoped it wasn’t anything.” Jeff Wilson is gone. Mason is next in line to play. Depending on Mitchell and potentially McCaffrey’s injuries, Mason could be a name to sneak back into the conversation. Mason ran for 25 yards on his five carries yesterday.

QB Jordan Love (GB) – Once Aaron Rodgers left in the third quarter with a painful oblique injury, Love entered the game and looked sharp completing 6-for-9 for 113 yards and one 62-yard touchdown to Christian Watson. Depending on how Rodgers’ scan goes on Monday, Love may be looking at more playing time.

Huddle player of the week

Josh Jacobs – To think how many times he was passed over in fantasy drafts. Jacobs has already been one of the best fantasy draft picks of 2022, and now his Week 12 production boosted him all the way up to be the No. 2 fantasy running back. Jacobs ran for an astounding 229 yards and two scores on 33 carries, plus caught six passes for 74 yards. That included the 86-yard run that ended overtime with a win for the visiting Raiders.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Mike White 317 3 QB Tua Tagovailoa 299 1
RB JaMycal Hasty 95 1 RB Travis Etienne 3 0
RB Ty Johnson 78 1 RB Christian McCaffrey 49 0
WR Zay Jones 145 0 WR Mike Evans 31 0
WR Isaiah McKenzie 96 1 WR Christian Kirk 41 0
WR DeAndre Carter 73 1 WR Deebo Samuel 43 0
TE Josh Oliver 76 1 TE George Kittle 26 0
PK Nick Fold   2 XP   4 FG PK Will Lutz   Nope
Huddle Fantasy Points = 110 Huddle Fantasy Points = 39

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Jets sign Zonovan Knight to active roster, place Hall and Vera-Tucker on IR

Zonovan Knight returns to the active roster as Breece Hall and Alijah Vera-Tucker are officially placed on IR

The Jets have added another running back to the mix, giving them a quartet for now.

After officially announcing the acquisition of RB James Robinson from the Jaguars, the Jets have also brought back RB Zonovan Knight to the main roster. In addition, the Jets officially placed RB Breece Hall and OL Alijah Vera-Tucker on injured reserve after both suffered season-ending knee and elbow injuries, respectively, during Sunday’s win against the Broncos.

Knight made the initial 53-man roster but was cut before Week 1 and signed to the practice squad, where he has been all season. The undrafted free agent from North Carolina State will now be one of four running backs on the active roster, along with Robinson, Michael Carter and Ty Johnson.

The Jets also announced they have added OL Myron Cunningham to the practice squad. Cunningham is an undrafted free agent from Arkansas who started 30 games at left tackle for the Razorbacks. He allowed just three sacks last season, per Pro Football Focus.

Jets bring Zonovan Knight back to practice squad among Tuesday roster moves

Bam is back

A few fans were upset at the news that running back Zonovan Knight was waived from the active roster this week. They’ll be happy to know Knight is back, as the Jets signed the undrafted free agent from North Carolina State to the practice squad Monday.

The Jets announced Monday they signed Knight, offensive tackle Eric Smith and wide receiver/return specialist Diontae Spencer to the practice squad. Wide receiver Calvin Jackson and linebacker DQ Thomas were released.

With the moves, the Jets are now at their full 16-man capacity for the practice squad. They had one spot open heading into Monday.

Spencer is a special teams veteran who spent the last three seasons with the Denver Broncos. In that time, Spencer won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 14 of the 2020 season, which included an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown. Spencer has also played for the Rams and Steelers in the NFL and also spent four years in the Canadian Football League, playing two years for the Toronto Argonauts and two years for the Ottawa Redblacks.

This is Smith’s second stint with the Jets, having spent a few weeks on the practice squad at the end of the 2018 regular season and throughout the 2019 offseason and training camp. Smith has also spent time with the Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Cowboys and Cardinals throughout his career. Smith has appeared in four games, including one last season with the Cardinals.

Jackson’s short time with the Jets will be mostly remembered for his game-winning touchdown pass in the final preseason game against the Giants. The undrafted free agent out of Washington State was among one of the first groups of players signed to the practice squad after the initial 53-man roster was set. Jackson caught four passes for 19 yards and two touchdowns.

Thomas recorded ten tackles and one tackle for a loss during the preseason. He was an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State, where he left as the school’s all-time leader in tackles for a loss.

3 players to watch in Jets’ second preseason game

A couple of players ready to shine in the national spotlight Monday.

With the possibility of the Jets not playing their starters Monday against the Falcons, there are some players who now have more of a chance to really make a statement and make their case for the 53-man roster, or at the very least, the practice squad. Let’s take a look at a couple of those players to keep an eye on in the national spotlight.

Undrafted Rookie Zonovan Knight flashing at Jets camp

Jets undrafted rookie running back Zonovan Knight is making an early case to crack the final 53-man roster, highlighted by a big run at Friday’s practice.

One of the highlights of the preseason is watching undrafted rookies fight for a roster spot, knowing they have an uphill battle from the start. The New York Jets may have one such undrafted gem in their backfield through a week of training camp.

Running back Zonovan Knight has been off to a solid start at training camp and the number of eyes only grew larger after Friday’s practice. They say the NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” league. Well, lately, Knight has been tearing it up and very lately, as in the last play of practice Friday, Knight busted out a 65-yard touchdown run.

As ESPN’s Rich Cimini pointed out, a defensive player did blow a run fit, but the fact remains Knight was able to find the hole and bust through for a big score, ending practice on about as high of a note as you can.

While at North Carolina State, Knight (5’11”, 209 pounds) averaged 5.5 yards per carry on roughly 140 carries per season during his three-year career in Raleigh. That’s the second-highest yards-per-carry mark in Wolfpack history. He had rushing totals of 745, 788 and 753 each season and score 18 touchdowns, including ten in 2020.

In 2021, he carried 140 times for 753 yards and three touchdowns, while also adding 21 catches for 156 yards receiving. All that came despite missing spring workouts because of offseason shoulder surgery.

Knight showed very good running ability and fights for every yard. He’s explosive and tough to bring down. He’ll build a strong case to be a spell back behind Breece Hall and Michael Carter. Knight is battling with Tevin Coleman, Ty Johnson and La’Mical Perine on the depth chart.

Knight can also return kicks. In fact, Knight posted the highest kickoff return average in 2021 at 34.4 yards per kick return.

Knight will have a chance to showcase his running ability on a bigger stage next Friday when the Jets open the preseason against the Philadelphia Eagles. If he can continue breaking out big runs like he did Friday, the Jets’ coaching staff will have a very tough time parting ways with Knight at the end of the preseason.

4 UDFA’s most likely to make Jets’ roster

These four undrafted free agents have the best chance of cracking the Jets’ 53-man roster at the end of the summer.

Joe Douglas hit what many have deemed a home run with the Jets’ 2022 NFL draft class. New York’s third-year general manager filled holes at positions of need with potentially elite talents, drastically altering the outlook of the team’s future in the process.

Members of Gang Green’s draft class aren’t the only neophytes who could make an impact at 1 Jets Drive this upcoming season. Douglas signed an intriguing undrafted free agent class. Some of those players have a chance to make the 53-man roster as Isaiah Dunn and Kenny Yeboah did last offseason.

Let’s take a look at which four undrafted free agents have the best chance of breaking training camp with the Jets.