Justin McCareins

He's come into camp with the right attitude, and might be able to be a serviceable No. 3 or No. 4 wideout for the Jets in 2007. He had to take a pay cut to stick with the team, but at least McCareins did in fact make the club.

The Jets foolishly threw him a big contract back in March 2004, thinking he was a playmaker. No one says that about McCareins now, and as of August 2006, he's no sure thing to make the club. The injuries to Chad Pennington the last two years haven't help McCareins any, but in all fairness he's really a support player, not an every-down guy. The Jets would love to see someone step up and challenge (if not unseat) McCareins, but it remains to be seen if such a player is currently on roster.

The 6-2, 215-pound McCareins has all the measurables – size, speed, leaping ability and good hands – but as the No. 2 option on the Paul Hackett-run Jets a year ago, his talents weren’t fully exploited. McCareins was targeted just 90 times, and though he caught 62 percent of those passes, most of them were in the short or intermediate areas of the field. In fact, McCareins caught just one pass of 40 yards or more and 10 of 20 or more. Contrast this with the way Tennessee offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger used him as a No. 3 receiver in 2003 – (four passes of 40-yards or more, 14 of 20 or more in just 84 targets). The good news for McCareins is that Hackett is out, and the Jets replaced him with none other than Heimerdinger. Expect McCareins to see more looks down the field, especially with the speedy Laveranues Coles occupying most of the defensive attention. McCareins was also a threat around the goal line under Heimerdinger, catching four touchdowns in 12 pass attempts, so don’t be surprised to see an uptick in touchdowns as well. If you’re looking for a post-hype sleeper, McCareins is a good place to start.

Targeted just 82 times last year (57 percent completions), McCareins will be featured much more prominently by Chad Pennington and the Jets in ’04. McCareins was fourth in the NFL last year in percentage of first downs relative to times targeted and first in percentage of first downs on actual receptions. But he’s more than a possession receiver, finishing 12th in catches over 25 yards despite his limited opportunities. McCareins scored a respectable seven TDs despite registering just eight red-zone catches last year. Expect those chances to double this year and for McCareins to finish with 10-plus TDs, outperforming Santana Moss. There is, of course, some risk here due to McCareins’ relative inexperience as a starter, but for that reason, he’ll probably be on the board a lot longer than many of the wideouts listed below him.

McCareins big-play ability is evidenced in the fact that he caught two of the Titan's three longest receptions last season - catches of 49 and 55 yards. McCareins, however, lacks the consistency that the Titan's are looking for in a starting wideout, and he appears to have lost the battle for the number two receiver slot to Drew Bennett. Unless McCareins earns the spot opposite Derrick Mason in the starting lineup, he will have minimal fantasy appeal in 2003.