There's a lot of excitement around New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields right now.
Fields is just 26 years old and has shown that he can be a dynamic player, although his role hasn't always been consistent since being drafted with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
Fields spent three seasons with the Bears and one year with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, he's joining his third team in five years after signing a two-year deal with the Jets shortly after free agency opened up.
Fields has turned heads in camp, even to the point where star cornerback Sauce Gardner compared his play so far to that of Aaron Rodgers.
If the Jets can utilize Fields' strong running game while helping him to improve as a passer, the sky is the limit. There's a solid chance that Fields' two-year deal looks like a significant discount by this time next year. The perception around Fields and the Jets overall is high right now around the league, to the point where Bleacher Report's Moe Moton predicted that Fields will finish as a top-5 fantasy football quarterback in 2025.
"Justin Fields Will Be a Top-5 Fantasy QB," Moton said. "In the 2022 season, Justin Fields ran for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, finishing seventh leaguewide in yards on the ground and tied for 12th in rushing scores. He also took a league-high 55 sacks that year. Now, imagine what Fields could do with an offensive line that features three recent first-rounders, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou, along with more opportunities to score rushing touchdowns...
"Fields has shown minimal improvement as a passer over the previous few years, and he has only one reliable wide receiver, Garrett Wilson. The Jets may need him to showcase his dynamic playmaking ability with his legs as their passing offense develops through the season. Fields is currently coming off draft boards as the QB14, but he could be a top-five fantasy quarterback thanks to his rushing production."
Fields rushed for over 1,100 yards in 2022 to go along with eight rushing touchdowns. If the Jets could get anywhere near that type of production, plus some improvement in the passing game, Fields could end up being a steal.
