Buy ‘Em or Deny ‘Em: Is The Jets’ Elijah McGuire Worth Considering For Week 15?

by Eric Stashin (aka The Rotoprofessor)

Yesterday we learned that the Jets had sent Isaiah Crowell to injured reserve, joining Bilal Powell and ending his season.  That obviously creates a significant hole for New York, with Elijah McGuire likely getting the opportunity to step in and fill it.

Of course McGuire has underwhelmed over his five games played in 2018:

• at Miami – 7 carries for 30 yards
• vs. Buffalo – 6 carries for 30 yards
• vs. New England – 6 carries for 19 yards
• at Tennessee – 6 carries for 19 yards
• at Buffalo – 17 carries for 60 yards and 1 TD

They haven’t been significantly difficult matchups, though McGuire had limited opportunities prior to Week 14.  When you add in his time last season, with 88 carries for 315 yards and 1 TD, and the overall upside appears worse.  On 130 career carries he’s averaging 3.6 YPC and that’s not going to inspire much confidence.

This week’s matchup against the Houston Texans doesn’t help.  Overall they have allowed the seventh fewest points to opposing tight ends, limiting them to 869 rushing yards and 7 TD.  They’ve been even better over the past four weeks, giving up the fourth fewest points per week and a league low 154 rushing yards.

The one thing that could help McGuire has been his ability to catch the football, with 28 receptions for 267 yards over the course of his career.  Houston has been at least a little bit susceptible in that regard, having allowed 74 receptions to opposing running backs, though that’s not a number that’s going to make you sit up and take notice.

It would be easy to consider McGuire a must use option given the opportunity, though with the matchup and the fact that New York could have him share time with Trenton Cannon it’s fairly easy to ignore him.  Consider McGuire a PPR FLEX option, at best, with the risk likely outweighing the reward.

Sources – ESPN, NFL.com

** PRE-ORDER ROTOPROFESSOR’S 2019 FANTASY BASEBALL DRAFT GUIDE **
Order Rotoprofessor’s 2018 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide for just $7.75!!  Click here for the details, but don’t miss out on the best bargain in fantasy baseball preparation.