Two weeks after their starting running back Matt Forte announced his retirement, the New York Jets found his replacement. The Jets signed former Cleveland Browns rusher Isaiah Crowell to a three-year deal worth $12 million. Crowell is expected to lead the rushing duties in New York, with Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire in for support.
Jets snag Isaiah Crowell for feature fantasy back role
The Jets signed former the Cleveland Browns running back to a three-year, $12 million deal Tuesday. We look at the fantasy implications.
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Crowell rushed for over 3,000 yards in his four seasons in Cleveland. His best campaign came in the 2016 season when he averaged 4.8 yards per carry. That year he rushed for 952 yards and seven touchdowns on 198 carries. Crowell saw a dip in yards per carry last season but still managed to rush for more than 850 yards.
Fantasy impact: Crowell desperately needed to leave Cleveland. However, the Jets are not a much better situation. The Jets struggled to run the ball last season and, between their three backs, only managed to amass 1,700 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Jets are rebuilding so expect about the same amount of production from the running game in 2018. Owners should consider Crowell a low-end RB2 next year. He should be sitting on draft boards in the late rounds as well.
