Sleeper Watch

New York Jets receivers Santana Moss and Justin McCareins both had solid seasons last year. Moss hauled in 45 passes for 838 yards (and an 18.6 yards-per-catch mark that ranked him fourth in the league), and found the end zone five times, while McCareins gained 770 yards on 56 receptions with four touchdowns. Neither of those lines can be considered shabby, but neither WR was able to entirely fulfill fantasy owners’ (and Jets fans’) expectations. That might change in 2005, however.

Both the NFL draft and the off-season transaction frenzy are still ahead of us, but the Jets have already made what may well be one of this year’s key signings by replacing offensive coordinator Paul Hackett with Mike Heimerdinger. Hackett had been widely criticized for his conservative approach (except by fantasy owners lucky enough to have drafted Curtis Martin, who wound up leading the league in rushing), and neither the New York wide receivers nor QB Chad Pennington were able to reach their full potential under Hackett’s ball-control system.

With Heimerdinger’s signing, that conservative playbook is headed for the recycling bin. Heimerdinger spent the last five years in Tennessee, where he led the Titans’ high-flying Steve McNair-led offense, and compared with Hackett’s way of doing things, his put-points-on-the-board style is about as conservative as John Kerry. And nobody should be happier about this change than the Jets’ receivers.

Expect both Santana Moss and Justin McCareins to see marked increases in their production. Moss already showed what he is capable of in 2003, when he amassed 1105 yards and ten touchdowns. McCareins, who played for Heimerdinger in Tennessee prior to joining the Jets, is also considerably more talented than his 2004 numbers indicate. Both could be valuable fantasy assets next season, and with many owners basing their rankings solely on last season’s performance, both might slip a bit more than they should.