The New York Jets have selected Ole Miss receiver Elijah Moore with their second-round draft pick and he'll join first-round picks Zach Wilson (QB) and Alijah Vera-Trucker (OL) to form a revamped offense. Moore finished with the second-most receiving yards in all of college football in 2020 despite matching up against SEC defenses every week, but you likely haven't seen his name mentioned in any first-round mock drafts and that's almost entirely because he's 5-foot-9. Of course, Moore's detractors will tell you it's not the only reason and they'll point to his production as manufactured in Lane Kiffin's offense.
They might also point to his infamous celebration during the Egg Bowl to detract from an otherwise spotless off-field record. However, a deeper dive into Moore's game tape reveals a prospect with plus traits at just about every aspect of playing the wide receiver position and that could translate to him making an immediate impact in Fantasy during his rookie 2021 season.
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We're breaking down everything you need to know about Moore from a Fantasy manager perspective, including best fits, dynasty outlook, measurables, scouting report, key stats and an NFL comparison.
2021 Fantasy Impact
Moore's size (5-foot-9, 184 pounds) could limit him to the slot only early in his career even though he's reminiscent of former Panthers receiver Steve Smith, who found a way to win as an outside boundary receiver. The Jets currently still have incumbent slot-only receiver Jamison Crowder on their roster in addition to free agent acquisition Corey Davis and second-year receiver Denzel Mims. Both Davis and Mims aren't great fits for the slot, which breaks well for Moore's chances of getting on the field early.
Moore will also benefit from the rookie minicamp and time spent early on building a rapport with Wilson. The importance of the rookie to rookie rapport can't be overstated. We saw it right away with Joe Burrow to Tee Higgins in 2020. And while Davis has been a solid WR2 for the Titans to this point, and Mims has untapped upside, it's possible that Moore could immediately emerge as the No. 1 option in the passing game out of the slot. Of course, all of that depends on whether or not the Jets will move Crowder via trade or release after the draft. Otherwise, Moore will likely struggle to make a major impact in 2021.
Dynasty outlook
The Dynasty community isn't exactly sleeping on Moore. They are well aware of his upside and I think they're on to something. His ADP could drop now that he's joining a rookie quarterback in a previously inept passing game that has a bit of a crowded receiver corps. In our pre-draft rookie PPR mock, R.J. White grabbed Moore with the last pick (No. 12 overall) in the first round. In our Superflex rookie PPR mock, Moore went off the board with the second pick in Round 2 at No. 14 overall.
Scouting report
Strengths
- Unique stop-and-start ability helps him project as a potentially elite route runner (think Stefon Diggs).
- Toughness at the catch point -- arguably his best trait.
- Production against man coverage in the slot.
- Ability to forced missed tackles and create YAC in open space.
- Excellent ability to track the ball in the air on deep passes
- Possesses nuances as a route-runner that allow him to create separation off the line of scrimmage
- Sure hands (only 10 drops on 200 career catchable targets).
Concerns
- Size -- you don't see many 5-9 players as outside receivers, will he be limited to the slot?
- Inexperience against press-man coverage -- just 38 snaps vs. press-man in 2020.
Stats breakdown
| G | Receptions | RecYards | RecTDs | YPC | RuYds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 8 | 86 | 1,193 | 8 | 13.9 | 64 |
| 2020 v top 25 | 2 | 21 | 370 | 0 | 17.5 | 3 |
| 2019 v top 25 | 2 | 4 | 54 | 0 | 13.5 | 0 |
| Career | 31 | 189 | 2,441 | 16 | 12.9 | 71 |
Advanced stats to know
- Earned an elite 90.4 grade vs. man coverage, per Pro Football Focus
- Only 10 dropped passes on 200 career catchable targets, only two in 2020 (2.3% drop rate), per PFF
- 18 forced missed tackles in eight games in 2020 (sixth-most), per PFF
- 11 contested catches (fifth-most), per PFF
- 61 catches, 888 receiving yards from the slot -- fourth-most in CFB, respectively
NFL comparison
The more you watch Moore, the more (no pun intended) you can start to see some of former Panthers star Steve Smith in his game -- but the ceiling isn't quite there. Having said that, like Smith, I think he can win as an outside receiver in spite of his size. My comp for Moore would be a hybrid of Smith and Randall Cobb before the injuries reshaped his game. Moore is just a physical as both Smith and Cobb were entering the NFL.
