The New York Jets lost their final six games of the 2022 season certainly in part due to poor quarterback play, and they feel they have solved the problem with the high-profile acquisition of future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers failed to advance his own Green Bay Packers into the playoffs this past season, but he is a clear upgrade on previous Jets options. The question for fantasy football managers is whether Rodgers is capable of returning to a clear starting level statistically, and if his young replacement in Green Bay demands our attention.
Rodgers finished the 2022 season as the No. 13 quarterback in ESPN standard scoring with 239.2 PPR points, but that figure is a bit misleading. Rodgers played in all 17 games, averaging 14.1 points per game, and that disappointing figure ranked well outside the top 20 qualified quarterbacks, worse than Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo and Sam Darnold, and tied with the benched Carson Wentz. Rodgers comes off arguably his worst full season, but we should remember the prior two seasons when he was a top-five fantasy QB and earned two more NFL MVP awards.
Most will point to Rodgers struggling not because he was 39 years old, but due to the Packers controversially trading top wide receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders prior to the season. Adams caught 100 passes for 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Raiders. Nary a Packer caught more than 60 passes this past season, nor did any approach 1,000 yards or 10 touchdowns. Rodgers now gets to throw to Garrett Wilson, the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year after he caught 83 passes for 1,103 yards, and the Jets also feature a strong running game, led by Breece Hall.
We cannot sugarcoat things to say Rodgers played well during the 2022 season, but there was clear dissension between Rodgers and members of the organization, and he gets to start over with a franchise featuring exciting, young playmakers on offense, and a strong defense as well. Fantasy managers should aim to forget about the Rodgers who threw only 26 touchdown passes for 3,695 passing yards last season, along with 12 interceptions, his most since his rookie season of 2008. Rodgers as a Jet will return to QB1 status in fantasy, perhaps not the top five -- because the top options provide so much rushing value as well -- but do not overlook him.
As for the Packers, it is finally time for the Jordan Love era to begin, and because the Utah State product, a late-first-round pick in 2020, has barely played in the NFL, it may be tough for fantasy managers to evaluate the possibilities. Love brings a big body, big arm and mobility to the proceedings, and a full season of working with talented WRs Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, but there is much uncertainty. It is a reach to say Love is worthy of close to top-10 consideration among fantasy QBs at this point, but as with many unproven young passers with pedigree, if your starter is safe, reliable and durable -- like Rodgers, really -- then consider bypassing proven depth to take a chance on a fantasy backup with upside in the latter rounds.