New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t make it through the first quarter of his 2023 season debut after suffering a lower leg injury against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.
What will be the fantasy impact of Rodgers’ injury on Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, and other Jets skill position players moving forward? Let’s take a closer look.
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Aaron Rodgers Exits MNF With Lower Leg Injury
Rodgers’s debut in a Jets uniform was prematurely cut short after sustaining an injury to his lower left leg in the opening quarter of their MNF matchup against the Bills.
Aaron Rodgers was injured and helped off the field on the first Jets drive vs. the Bills. pic.twitter.com/vtKHRW566V
— ESPN (@espn) September 12, 2023
The injury hasn’t been pinpointed at this moment and was reported as an ankle injury by ESPN’s Lisa Salters, but some fear the injury could involve his left Achilles tendon.
While the extent will be determined here in the near future, Rodgers has officially been ruled out for the remainder of this game.
How Does An Injury to Rodgers Impact Garrett Wilson?
Many fantasy managers invested high draft capital in second-year pass catcher Garrett Wilson with hopes of a breakout campaign with a former league MVP throwing him the ball.
If Rodgers misses an extended period of time with an injury, Wilson is likely to take the biggest hit from a fantasy perspective.
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Last season, Wilson averaged 12.6 fantasy points per game in PPR formats with the uninspiring triumvirate of Wilson, Joe Flacco, and Mike White under center last season.
Unfortunately, his dynamic playmaking ability could once again be limited by quarterback play if Rodgers remains unavailable, which would put him firmly back in the low-end WR2 range with WR1 upside occasionally.
What Is the Fantasy Impact of Rodgers’ Injury for Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook?
The biggest potential fantasy losers from a potentially significant injury to Rodgers would be the running back duo of Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook.
While the timeshare was never going to be ideal, a Rodgers-less Jets offense is unlikely to produce enough scoring opportunities on a weekly basis to make two running backs fantasy relevant.
Unless one back emerges as the go-to bell cow option out of this backfield, both will likely fall out of the top 25 at the position in the weekly rankings on a consistent basis.
How Will the Rodgers Injury Impact the Rest of the Jets Skill Position Players?
If your name is Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, Randall Cobb, Tyler Conklin, or any other potential pass catcher in this Jets offense moving forward, a significant Rodgers injury would instantly make most of these players candidates to be dropped from your roster.
Elijah Moore was one of the complimentary pieces alongside Wilson in the wide receiver room last season, and he was not exactly a player who needed to be on your fantasy football roster. If Rodgers isn’t available for an extended period of time, I don’t see a second Jets pass catcher being a viable weekly fantasy option next to Wilson.