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Ryan Fitzpatrick's Men

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Let's take a look at how Ryan Fitzpatrick has fared throwing to individual targets this season. I crunched some of the key numbers for Jets receivers who have had at least 20 passes thrown their way from Fitzpatrick. His 5 passes in Oakland were included.

Brandon Marshall

Completion Percentage Yards Per Target TD%
Brandon Marshall 65.60% 8.9 7.40%
Fitzpatrick Season Average 60.50% 7.1 5.40%

Through his career, Marshall has had something of a reputation for being a high volume receiver. He got his numbers, but he also required a lot of targets to get them. Was this inefficiency a result of Marshall or uneven quarterback play? We cannot say for sure, but this season Marshall has been prolific. Fitzpatrick has been substantially more efficient throwing to Marshall than he has been on the whole. This is more impressive when you consider how Marshall is the focal point of defenses.

Eric Decker

Completion Percentage Yards Per Target TD%
Eric Decker 60.00% 7.9 8.10%
Fitzpatrick Season Average 60.50% 7.1 5.40%

Decker's move to the slot has paid dividends, and he has feasted on the matchups and the extra room to work this has afforded him. The veteran receiver has proven to be a perfect second banana.

Bilal Powell

Completion Percentage Yards Per Target TD%
Bilal Powell 75.00% 6.3 3.60%
Fitzpatrick Season Average 60.50% 7.1 5.40%

Powell is actually the third leading receiver on the team. Completion percentages to backs are naturally going to be higher. These tend to be short, high-percentage passes. Powell's numbers do not blow you away, but he is definitely trending up over the last three weeks.

Quincy Enunwa

Completion Percentage Yards Per Target TD%
Quincy Enunwa 50.00% 6.3 0.00%
Fitzpatrick Season Average 60.50% 7.1 5.40%

To the extent the Jets utilize a tight end in the passing game, Enunwa has seen the bulk of the work. . This offense essentially has two different tight end positions. . Enunwa is technically listed as a wide receiver, but the Jets have used him at the H position a lot.  The in-line guys have not seen many targets. Enunwa has been a bit more involved. He has taken on snaps that presumably would have gone to Jace Amaro. While Quincy has been helpful as a blocker, his receiving work has been unimpressive. Is his big game against Dallas a sign things are picking up?

Chris Ivory

Completion Percentage Yards Per Target TD%
Chris Ivory 82.10% 6.8 3.60%
Fitzpatrick Season Average 60.50% 7.1 5.40%

When Ivory came to the Jets, he looked like he was allergic to catching the football. He has put in a lot of work and has at least become a functional pass catcher. I don't think you can say he's a lot more than that. His targets tend to be on screens and checkdowns. He doesn't run routes well enough that you're going to consistently try and isolate him against a linebacker in a pattern. This is a big improvement from where he started, however.

Jeremy Kerley

Completion Percentage Yards Per Target TD%
Jeremy Kerley 57.10% 4.2 9.50%
Fitzpatrick Season Average 60.50% 7.1 5.40%

The Jets haven't really figured out a way to use Kerley, and it shows in the numbers. The fifth year receiver has been close to a nonentity for most of the season.

Devin Smith

Completion Percentage Yards Per Target TD%
Devin Smith 32.10% 4.1 3.60%
Fitzpatrick Season Average 60.50% 7.1 5.40%

There was a  lack of chemistry between these two that was painfully obvious before Smith's injury. It was a bad combination. Fitzpatrick has a tendency to trust his arm too much and throw contested deep balls. Smith ran a bunch of deep routes and seldom got anything resembling separation. Hopefully Smith can get back onto the practice field sooner rather than later and work with Fitzpatrick.