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Marshall is the Jets WR to own

New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall looks on during warmups before a NFL preseason football game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

On Wednesday, New York Jets reporter Brian Costello of The New York Post stopped by the Pro Football Focus show hosted by Mike Clay on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio (10 a.m. ET weekdays – Sirius 210 & XM 87). Costello talked about the Jets' projected wide receiver target distribution, Chris Ivory's role in the passing game, and more. You can find Costello on Twitter @BrianCoz.

Will Marshall, Decker, Or Neither Emerge As The Top WR?

“Marshall is the clear go-to wide receiver,” Costello said. “The question is going to be how defenses play the Jets. If they put double teams on Marshall then Decker could see passes thrown his way. It’s pretty clear Marshall is the No. 1 and Decker is the No. 2.”

Marshall has dealt with extra defensive attention in the past and succeeded in spite of it. Marshall has already developed a nice rapport with Ryan Fitzpatrick in the preseason and training camp. He looks just as explosive as he did before his injury in 2014. He remains a buy at his current ADP of WR22.

The Ivory Narrative

Over the last week, there has has been speculation that Chris Ivory will see a significant role in the Jets' passing game in 2015. Some have even projected that Ivory could catch more than three passes per game. At PFF, we remain skeptical, and Costello shares that same opinion.

“Three catches is a ceiling,” Costello said. “I think he’s more of a one or two type of catch guy. He’s gotten better this offseason and I think Chan Gailey wants to use him in that role more, but I’d be surprised if he gets that match. The Jets will use Bilal Powell on third down and once Stevan Ridley gets healthy, he’ll be out there.”

The Jets have used Powell on every third-down snap this preseason. It seems unlikely that Ivory will evolve into a PPR-league threat this late into his career, even with a new offensive system in place.

Costello also envisions a situation where another running back could eat into Ivory's touches. Mike threw out Stevan Ridley and Zac Stacy as potential threats, but Costello circled back to Powell.

“It’s hard to figure out Ridley right now and I have a feeling he’s going to start on the PUP list,” Costello said. “Stacy will get some, but the big one is Powell. He’s going to eat into Ivory’s carries quite a bit. Powell has had a good preseason. Coaches love this guy. The new coaches love him already because he’s a grinder that can do everything. I have a feeling we’ll see plenty of Powell. Anyone thinking Ivory is going to be that bellcow running back is off on that.”

Our projections are not bullish on Ivory's 2015 prospects, and his rising ADP could make him a reach in early September drafts before the start of the regular season.

What About The Rookie?

Clay has been charting first-team snaps all offseason. One major change he has noticed involves the Jets' personnel usage. New offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is utilizing more three wide receiver sets. If the Jets evolve into a team that features three wide receivers often, could the rookie second-rounder Devin Smith emerge as a fantasy weapon?

“The thing with Devin Smith is that he’s going to need a lot of time once he gets healthy,” Costello said. “He had no training camp at all. The question with him is ‘Can he run all the routes?' I don’t know the time frame, but he’s going to need some time. He could be a late season guy, but early on I wouldn’t expect anything from him.”

Smith is off the redraft radar for now, but the preseason snap counts should not be taken with a grain of salt. The Jets want to use 11 personnel and Smith is the most talented receiver on the roster after Marshall and Decker. He could end up being a popular waiver wire edition at some point in the regular season.

The Darkhorse No. 3 WR?

Quincy Enunwa has been playing some H-back and even tight end at times this preseason. It seems like he has moved well ahead of Jeremy Kerley for the third wide receiver spot. Could he fill the void left by Jace Amaro's season-ending injury? 

“I don’t think he’s going to be playing tight end, but he’s a big guy they like blocking wise,” Costello said. “He’s played more than Kerley this preseason. Over time I think he’ll get passed on the depth chart by Kerley or Smith when he comes back.”

Enunwa is a nice preseason story, but he is not someone you should invest a flier on in any league format.

 

Dan Schneier is a staff writer at PFF Fantasy and he covers the NFC East beat for FOX Sports. You can find him on Twitter @DanSchneierNFL. You can also add him to your network on Google+ to find all of his past material.

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