Touted as a fantasy sleeper and potential Rookie of the Year dark horse, second-round pick Elijah Moore has yet to emerge as a difference-maker in the Jets’ offense, converting just nine of 26 targets (34.6 percent) for 79 scoreless yards through six games.
It’s been a frustrating debut season for the 21-year-old, who finished second to Heisman winner DeVonta Smith in FBS receiving yards in 2020. And though much of the onus falls on Moore (he holds PFF’s eighth-worst grade out of 121 qualified wide receivers), the Jets’ quarterback play this season has done him few favors.
According to Ian Hartitz of ProFootballFocus, just 42 percent of Moore’s targets this year would qualify as “catchable,” easily the lowest percentage in the NFL (minimum 25 targets). Next-worst in that metric is former Jet Robby Anderson, now of the Carolina Panthers. Joining him in the bottom five are embattled Browns receiver Odell Beckham, Giants newcomer Kenny Golladay and Allen Robinson, who some suspect could be dealt ahead of next week’s trade deadline.
An elite deep threat with 4.3 speed, Moore has had no trouble beating his opponents downfield. His average separation (3.4 yards) is comparable to NFL receiving yards leader Cooper Kupp (3.6) and Chiefs Pro Bowler Tyreek Hill (also 3.4). Yet, he has just 79 yards to show for it (8.8 yards per catch). Moore’s meager output (though he did register his first career touchdown on an end-around last week) is symptomatic of an aimless Jets offense that would hardly classify as NFL-caliber.
We knew Zach Wilson would face a steep learning curve transitioning from the relative low stakes of BYU to starting for an NFL team in arguably the league’s most demanding media market. And though the 22-year-old has shown flashes, the second-overall pick has largely disappointed, tying for the league-lead in interceptions (nine) while taking an inordinate number of sacks (19) behind a brittle offensive line. With Wilson facing a 2-4-week absence—the result of a sprained PCL suffered against New England in Week 7—New York’s dormant passing game figures to get worse before it gets better with quarterback duties now thrust upon undrafted Western Kentucky product Mike White (acquired from Philadelphia earlier this week, veteran Joe Flacco is also at the Jets’ disposal).
Plenty has gone wrong for the Jets in 2021, and though Moore has yet to deliver on the promise he showed at Ole Miss, it’s hard to fault him when only 42 percent of his targets meet the minimum criteria for what constitutes a “catchable” ball.
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