RADIO
Zach Wilson is a fantasy football waiver wire pickup option for quarterbacks. Target him as a free agent add off waivers for Week 5 of the 2021 NFL season.
BALLER MOVE: Add in 2QB Leagues
ROSTERED: 9% of Leagues
ANALYSIS: If you've already called it a wash on Zach Wilson's rookie season: it's true that through his first three games he had produced just 210 passing yards per game, two touchdowns, seven interceptions (tied for worst in the league with Trevor Lawrence), 21 rushing yards, and had taken a league-worst 15 sacks while completing 58 of 105 passes (55.2%). Granted, that's pretty rough. However, it's delusional to expect guys like Wilson to immediately turn things around for teams like the Jets, especially when you start without your high-volume safety net (Jamison Crowder), you're not being adequately protected, and the backfield deployment is out of sorts.
After all of the sacks and picks, and after scoring a near-laughable 20 points through week three, Wilson came alive with his first professional flash of star potential in this week's 27-24 victory over the Titans; passing 21 of 34 (61.75%) for 297 yards, two TDs, and one INT while getting sacked just once compared to the ungodly 15 he took in the weeks prior. Crowder's return offers Wilson a go-to option on every play that can be trusted to safely convert passes into effective gain (especially without a strong TE presence), and the proportion of backfield/receiving work shared by the RB trio of Michael Carter, Ty Johnson, and Tevin Coleman hit an excellent balance against Tennessee, allowing each to work where they perform best in effort to open up the field, make first downs easier to reach, and ultimately take some pressure off of Wilson while making the O-line's job easier to manage.
The receiving duo of Crowder and Corey Davis is plenty to work with, and on any given day, Keelan Cole, Elijah Moore, or Braxton Berrios can make significant contributions to the passing attack. I'm definitely not saying that it's all going to be breezy for the rest of 2021, but the pieces appear finally in place for Zach Wilson to get a true chance each week to let off some electricity and demonstrate improvement. He hasn't let loose yet, but don't forget that this guy ran for 642 yards and 15 touchdowns while also catching three balls for 51 yards in his time with BYU. The upside is there with his progression and athletic ability, and with last week's showing, Zach Wilson is worth taking a chance on in two-QB leagues.
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