All signs point to Elijah Moore becoming the New York Jets' number one receiving option this upcoming season.
The 2021 second-round pick showed flashes of greatness at times during his rookie season.
Moore will be entering his second year in the NFL. The former Ole Miss wide receiver was solid throughout his rookie year. He appeared in a total of 11 games but was held back by injuries at times.
He finished his rookie season with a solid stat line. Moore was targeted 77 times. He hauled in 43 receptions for 538 yards and five touchdowns.
Moore was able to remain effective in his rookie season even when his targets per game varied on a weekly basis. He received double-digits targets just twice throughout his eleven appearances. He was limited to six or fewer targets in six of his appearances.
His targets being inconsistent directly correlated with his performance. The two games where he received double-digit targets were two of his better overall performances on the season.
In these two games, a week 10 contest against the Miami Dolphins, and a week 12 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles, Moore accounted for a healthy amount of his overall receptions and yards on the season. He recorded 14 receptions, 218 receiving yards, and two touchdowns between these two games.
In terms of fantasy production throughout his rookie season, Elijah Moore was solid. While he was limited to just 11 games, he still managed to finish the season as the 50th-ranked wide receiver in PPR scoring. He recorded 138.2 fantasy points. This put him right between Robbie Anderson and Robert Woods.
From weeks seven through 12, Moore was a fantasy star. During this stretch, he scored 103.0 points. This was the third most among wide receivers, behind only Cooper Kupp and Deebo Samuel. In these six games, Moore averaged 17.2 fantasy points per game.
Headed into year two, Moore could be in line for a much bigger fantasy performance. Last season, the Jets' receiving room was riddled with injury. Now as they all return at 100%, Moore will have other threats lined up alongside him.
Elijah Moore 2022 Fantasy Outlook
It is worth noting that Moore will be heading into his second season with quarterback Zach Wilson. The duo will have a year of professional football under their belt. And they have clearly already formed a solid connection.
The Zach Wilson/Elijah Moore duo in Year 2 🚀
pic.twitter.com/28k3bgWCEs— PFF (@PFF) July 28, 2022
The duo of Wilson and Moore connected often last season. Prior to Moore’s season ending early, the two looked electric together. This connection should be elevated in 2022.
There will also be a new face joining Elijah Moore in the receiving room. The Jets drafted Ohio State star receiver Garrett Wilson in the first round of the 2022 draft. Wilson was elite during his college years. In his final season at Ohio State, he recorded 70 receptions for 1,058 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
Wilson could prove to be the perfect receiving option to compliment Elijah Moore. Both young pass-catchers have areas where they excel. And while it could be argued that they will be taking opportunities away from each other, there is also a chance that they could give each other more chances to succeed.
During his elite stretch last season, Moore was commanding attention from the opposing team's top defenders. Heading into this season, if they can both be at that level, secondaries will struggle to stop this passing attack.
The New York Jets offense also has several other playmakers who could give Moore opportunities to create.
Wide receiver Corey Davis is a solidified receiving option in today's NFL. While he may have struggled at times last season, he will also benefit from the arrival of Garrett Wilson. They also will have a top young running back duo in second-year back Michael Carter, and rookie back Breece Hall.
A proven run game, paired alongside a solid passing game will be a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Elijah Moore is projected to be a solid wide receiver three in most fantasy leagues. But there is an upside for an even higher ceiling this upcoming season. If he can manage to stay healthy, he could rise to be a viable wide receiver two on some teams. If he can produce at a high level for an entire season, he could be a league-winning selection.
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