Getty New York Jets running back Isaiah Crowell should have a huge second half of the season with Bilal Powell injured.
Isaiah Crowell fantasy football owners who’ve endured his up-and-down season might see a big uptick in his production down the stretch. A lot of touches are coming the New York Jets running back’s way, as the team has placed fellow back Bilal Powell on injured reserve, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
Brutal news for the #Jets: They’ve placed RB Bilal Powell (neck) on Injured Reserve.
The two backs split touches through the Jets’ first seven games — 91 for Powell (80 carries), and 90 for Crowell (81 carries).
The 25-year-old Crowell has been a boom-or-bust play thus far this year coming off the bench behind Powell, going off for 17 or more standard fantasy points in three contests, and failing to earn six or more points in the other four.
Crowell rushed 10 times for 102 yards and two touchdowns against the Detroit Lions in the team’s season opener, he had another two-touchdown effort against the Cleveland Browns two weeks later, then he exploded for 231 yards from scrimmage and a score against the Denver Broncos two weeks after that.
Though Powell is more known for his ability to catch passes out of the backfield than Crowell is, the injured back was targeted just 18 times to Crowell’s 13 through seven games. The new Jets starter showed some facility as a receiver in his last two seasons with the Cleveland Browns before going to New York, making 68 grabs for 501 yards across two years.
Crowell is available in 16.6 percent of ESPN leagues and 18 percent of Yahoo leagues. If he’s still out there in your league, go get him.
Jets Depth Behind Crowell
Though Trenton Cannon is presently listed as the team’s third-stringer behind Crowell and Powell, the greatest threat to Crowell’s finishing with a huge second half is second-year pro Elijah McGuire.
The 24-year-old broke his foot in July and underwent surgery, missing the preseason before landing on injured reserve. But McGuire returned to practice on October 17, and he’s eligible to play again in Week 9.
The 2017 sixth-round pick out of UL Lafayette was adept as a pass catcher in college, and that carried over to his rookie season. Playing in just 25.7 percent of offensive snaps behind Powell and Matt Forte a year ago, McGuire caught 17 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown, and rushed 88 times for 315 yards and a score.
Because of McGuire’s comparable skill set as a smaller, quicker back with receiving skills, there’s a good chance he takes over Powell’s role entirely upon his return. And because of his age and fresh legs and the team’s 3-4 record, you can’t completely rule out the possibility that he overtakes Crowell in offensive snaps as the team tries to evaluate him.