If you had Michael Carter starting this week on your fantasy team, good for you. If you had Carter on your bench, well – these things happen.
The Jets rookie running back rushed 15 times for 77 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 34-31 win over the Bengals. He added nine catches for 95 yards on 14 targets, clearly establishing himself as one of the team’s playmakers.
With the Jets missing starting quarterback Zach Wilson and lead wide receiver Corey Davis, Carter led the team in both rushing and receiving yards.
It was Carter’s eight-yard touchdown run which capped New York’s opening drive and set the tone for the remainder of the game.
His dual-threat abilities were on full display in an aggressive offensive scheme drawn up by offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
Backup quarterback Mike White, making his first NFL start, repeatedly found Carter in space to help move the chains. LaFleur tapped into this early to help White establish an early rhythm. White finished with a 400-yard passing game, opening eyes across the league.
Carter’s 171 total yards also opened eyes. On the ground, he averaged 5.1 yards per carry. When the Jets went to Carter in the passing attack, he averaged 10.6 yards per catch. The Bengals defense, simply put, had no answer for him. It was his second consecutive game with more than 100 total yards from scrimmage after amassing 104 in last week’s loss at New England.
Carter’s performance against the Bengals was a breakout performance. While head coach Robert Saleh continues to evaluate his young talent, Carter is showing he has legit RB1 potential.
Image: NY Jets
