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Free cantina tacos from the Davante Adams in-home Taco Bell location. No drink purchase necessary. Only current New York Jets are eligible.
The top-flight wide receiver was traded from the Las Vegas Raiders to New York for a conditional third-round pick and will be reunited with Aaron Rodgers, a quarterback he posted consistent WR1 numbers with during their Green Bay Packers days.
The much-anticipated and finally executed move was a necessary act for a Jets squad in desperation mode. Coming off Monday’s difficult-to-swallow 23-20 loss to Empire State rival Buffalo Bills, owner Woody Johnson had his front office go full throttle to acquire an offensive upgrade.
Naturally, the transaction has ripple effects for fantasy purposes. Below is a quick overview of those impacts.
Adams the Jet
Can Adams recoup draft-day value in his new digs? In brief, yes and no.
The former All-Pro’s arrival undoubtedly will impact Garrett Wilson somewhat negatively. Presumably gone are the 10-plus target volumes he’s attracted in three games this season. Adams’ presence could mean a less-is-more outcome, but Wilson should be viewed as a back-end WR2.
Really, so should Adams. The established rapport and stats-rich history is there with Rodgers, but Wilson, Allen Lazard and others will cannibalize targets. In three games with the Raiders this year, Adams lured 9.0 targets per game. With New York, he’ll likely average between 6-7 looks per contest.
The QB upgrade for Adams is like trading in a 100,000 miles-driven Toyota Prius for a vintage mint-condition Ford Mustang. No doubt, Rodgers can still rev the engine.
About damn time https://t.co/XaeHWBOeNF
— Brad Evans (@NoisyHuevos) October 15, 2024
Adams is still a high-achieving weapon, but it’s doubtful he’ll return where his ADP finished (WR9) when draft season wrapped in early September. Keep in mind: The Jets have the ninth-hardest remaining fantasy strength of schedule for WRs, according to FF Toolbox.
The biggest loser in this deal is unquestionably Mike Williams, who's been a shell of his former field-stretching self.
Fantasy managers were hanging on to Williams for a turnaround — he was still on 15% of rosters in Yahoo leagues — but they need to cut him loose. At best, he’ll be lucky to receive 3-5 looks per game. With the exception of 20-team sickos, Williams shouldn’t be rostered, period.
Lazard also receives a slight ding. However, his cemented rapport with Rodgers and underneath role likely mean his target share (18.5%) will only diminish slightly.
Honestly, the spirals thrown in Lazard’s general direction could become cleaner. He's sure to benefit from single coverage on intermediate routes. Currently top-30 in total route wins, Lazard is a certifiable WR3 in 12-team 0.5 PPR formats for the rest of the season.
Finally, Rodgers should be viewed as a top-15 passer over the remaining slate. The graybeard may have once tossed passes to Al Toon, but he has the 11th-easiest fantasy QB schedule moving forward. Weekly finishes inside the position's top 12 could become commonplace.
The Aaron-to-Adams love affair has been rekindled. Expect immediate hookups this Sunday against a Steelers secondary that’s No. 21 in pass EPA defense the past three weeks. Ensuing matchups at New England, against Houston, at Arizona and against Indy could only further fan the relit flame.
In numbers terms, Adams the Jet may not be Diablo-sauce hot, but he won’t be terribly mild either.
The Vegas void
Brock Bowers will continue to operate as the workhorse in the Raiders’ rebuild. The targets king among tight ends (7.2 per game), the rookie will steadily wear a shiny bejeweled crown. Barring injury, his value as a top-five TE is solidified. What he has accomplished the past two weeks (12-8-97-1 at Denver, 10-9-71-0 vs. Pittsburgh) could become the norm.
Dealt straight-up for Travis Kelce, Chuba Hubbard and Deebo Samuel in Yahoo leagues over the past 24 hours, Bowers is sure to continuously buoy a TE position wrought with disappointment.