New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson ($6,600) has been placed in concussion protocol ahead of the Week 9 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. Officially, Wilson is considered day-to-day, but there is a narrow path to being cleared in time to suit up on Sunday given the steps required to complete the concussion protocol. It is also unclear exactly when the former Offensive Rookie of the Year began experiencing symptoms. Wilson did not leave Sunday’s loss to the Raiders and was made available to reporters after the game, with head coach Aaron Glenn announcing Wednesday that he is in concussion protocol.
Given his importance to the Jets’ attack, Wilson would leave some major shoes to fill in the offense if he is unable to play. New York has fallen to 2-6 on the season and will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak in a tough matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs this week. Adonai Mitchell ($4,500) and Omar Cooper Jr. ($4,900) will be the two leading candidates to see their roles in the offense grow. But let’s dive into how viable either is as a fantasy football or DFS option and which is the better choice for your lineups this week.
Adonai Mitchell vs. Omar Cooper Jr. Week 9 Fantasy Value
Through the opening eight games, Wilson has been the clear top target in the Jets’ passing attack. He has been targeted 63 times this season, pulling in 43 receptions for 527 yards and three touchdown scores. Wilson is tied for 14th in the NFL in targets, ranks ninth in receptions, and 17th in receiving yards. The 26-year-old ranks 17th among wide receivers in fantasy football production, averaging 15.0 points per game based on DraftKings scoring.
It is fair to put an asterisk on the statistical profiles for both Adonai Mitchell and Omar Cooper Jr., as each has missed four games due to injury this year. When Mitchell has been on the field, he has been targeted 27 times and pulled in 16 receptions for 265 yards and a touchdown. Cooper Jr. has pulled in 12 of his 13 targets this year for 248 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns. While the sample size is limited, Cooper Jr. is averaging 13.7 fantasy points per game, while Mitchell is contributing 12.9 points per game based on DraftKings scoring.
The offseason addition of Geno Smith has provided a comforting level of competence to the Jets’ offense, which each pass catcher has clearly benefited from. Smith is far from perfect, but he has completed 69.0% of his pass attempts for 1,913 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and three interceptions through the opening eight matchups. The West Virginia product has an NFL-caliber arm and is willing to take chances down the field to allow his wide receivers to make plays. However, he and the entire New York attack will be tested against a Kansas City defense that ranks fourth in opponents’ points allowed (131), 12th in total yards conceded, third in opponents’ passing touchdowns, and 17th in passing yards allowed.
The Bottom Line
Expect both Mitchell and Cooper to benefit from an increase in offensive responsibilities heading into the Week 9 matchup. However, there was a noteworthy difference in their roles during the previous game. Mitchell headlined the receiving production for this Jets team, pulling in seven receptions on nine targets for 142 yards and a touchdown. His 30.2 fantasy points on DraftKings scoring ranked third among all wide receivers. While Cooper was considered healthy and active, he failed to register a reception or a target despite playing 78.1% of the offensive snaps.
This was a major letdown following back-to-back games with 100-plus receiving yards for Cooper Jr. He pulled in six receptions on seven targets for 103 yards and a touchdown in Week 6 against the Patriots and caught all five targets for 115 yards and a score against the Dolphins in Week 7. Don’t expect Cooper to be held without a catch again, especially if Wilson is unable to suit up, but it is worth acknowledging how big-play dependent his performances can be. The 22-year-old is currently averaging 20.7 yards per reception, which leads the rest of the Jets’ pass catchers by more than four yards. The ability to turn any catch into a massive gain is an obvious positive, but these boom-or-bust opportunities need to be successful for his fantasy output to reach its desired level if you are plugging him into your lineup.
Mitchell has some big-play ability himself and is averaging more than double the targets per game across the same number of games played. Smith appears to have more confidence in him during short-yardage and third-down situations, which could prove especially important without Wilson on the field. The previous matchup was his best game, but he has seen as many as 12 targets in a game this season.
The respectable Kansas City defense and the limitations of the Jets’ offense limit the upside for either talented young pass catcher. But I am backing Mitchell to remain the priority in the offense and be in line for a stronger fantasy football output in the Week 9 matchup. The volume of targets he is seeing is too much to overlook, and I expect Smith to look toward Mitchell first if Wilson is sidelined this week.
