Jets runningback Michael Carter enters his second year in the NFL this season. He showed some promise in his rookie season, accumulating 964 total scrimmage yards and showing a canny ability to break tackles. Despite this, he’ll now be met with some competition thanks to the newly drafted Breece Hall.
Throughout the remainder of this article, we’ll give a comprehensive breakdown of Michael Carter’s fantasy outlook in 2022. We’ll provide both a bull case and bear case for the young RB’s season.
A Look Back At 2021
Carter had an above average 2021 by rookie standards. He led the Jets in rushing with 639 yards and added 325 yards through the air. His 9 yards per catch and 4.3 yards per carry show his productivity despite being a small sample size.
Interestingly enough, the Jets RB never saw more than 16 carries in a game – but he seemed to make the most of them. His career high 118 yards rushing was a product of a career high in carries, but he averaged only 10.5 looks each game. He managed to record three games with 100+ scrimmage yards, although he only had one game with 100+ rushing yards.
Michael Carter is most promising due to his receiving upside. He managed 325 yards on 36 receptions which gives him an average of 9 yards per catch. These numbers might come down with a larger sample size, but worth considering nonetheless.
The Jets don’t have the greatest receiving core, and this is great for Carter. There’s a chance he takes a majority of the receptions out of the back field given his stats from last season. Looking back at 2021, it’s clear that the second year back will remain a key piece on New York’s offense.
Breece Hall vs. Michael Carter
Most fantasy players would be high on Michael Carter if it weren’t for another runningback being drafted. The Jets selected Breece Hall in the second round of the draft, so there will definitely be competition amongst the two. Breece Hall is the projected starter according to the Jets’ depth chart, but this can certainly change.
It makes sense that the Jets want to take a chance on their second round pick. Regardless, they know what Michael Carter is capable of based on last season, and of course, a lot can go wrong with Breece Hall. It’ll be important to keep an eye on the attempts these two see throughout the beginning of the season.
Considering Breece Hall’s status as a rookie, it’s likely the Jets will employ some form of a 2-man backfield. It’s difficult to say what the usage rates will be, but it’s unlikely that Michael Carter rides the bench all year. God forbid, if one of the two gets injured, the other will take over the starting role.
2022 Outlook
The New York Jets are a young team who will bring QB Zach Wilson back to run the offense. Wilson showed some promise last season despite the Jets being a disaster as a whole. They’ve made moves offensively in the pre-season, notably adding pro-bowler Laken Tomlinson to the line. Zach Wilson’s second year in the system combined with Michael Carter and Breece Hall in the backfield could lead to more offensive productivity.
For season long leagues, Michael Carter can be considered as a late round pickup if options are limited. He’s certainly worth keeping an eye on as the season progresses due to his receiving upside and average yards per attempt. Ideally, look to grab him off the waiver wire if Breece Hall doesn’t work out as the starter.
For daily fantasy purposes, it’s too risky to consider him in Week 1 lineups because he’s not the projected starter. It’s worth noting, however, that Carter could be a sneaky contrarian option early in the season if he sees the field.
Conclusion
Michael Carter has outright said he wants to be the best RB in the NFL. His rookie season showed that he has the potential to be great – perhaps he just needs more opportunities. All in all, he’s a player we’ll need to keep an eye on throughout the season and for years to come.
