The football world was rocked with some shocking news Tuesday morning. New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles announced that Geno Smith will miss six to 10 weeks after suffering a broken jaw from being "sucker punched" in the lockerroom. The puncher, second-year linebacker IK Enemkpali, was promptly released by the team.
With offensive coordinator Chan Gailey on board, many analysts and fantasy football pundits were pegging the Jets for a surprisingly productive offensive season. Smith was supposed to take the next step with a talented pass-catching duo of Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker at his disposal, as well as a stable running game led by Chris Ivory. So, what does Geno's injury do to the fantasy values of his teammates?
Honestly, not much. The Jets were smart this offseason to trade for Ryan Fitzpatrick -- a former disciple of Gailey in Buffalo. As Michael Fabiano points out, Fitzpatrick had one of his best seasons under Gailey.
Fitzpatrick will now have the entire preseason to build up a rapport with his wideouts, and Gailey will be able to tweak the offense if need be to suit Fitzpatrick's abilities. It's a setback for sure, but Marshall, Decker and Fitzpatrick are all savvy veterans who will be able to adjust over the next month. Fitzmagic himself won't be an ideal fantasy target, but he should be able to keep the rest of the fantasy ship afloat in New York.
Currently, Marshall has been going in the 10th round and Decker in the 15th on NFL.com. Even with the Amish Rifle under center, those ADPs still feel fair, if not a bit conservative. While this injury is certainly a bummer for Smith's 2015 season and the Jets' hopes of competing for the AFC East crown, fantasy enthusiasts would be wise to listen to the main advice from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy": Don't Panic.
-- Alex Gelhar is a fantasy football writer/editor for NFL.com, and long-time Douglas Adams fan. Follow him on Twitter @AlexGelhar
