The Player
Robby Anderson looks like he's on the Kevin Durant diet, but his rail thin body hasn't prevented him from making his mark both in college and in the preseason. The undrafted rookie from Temple was the team's leading receiver in college (939 yards and 7 touchdowns) and now leads the New York Jets in receiving this preseason with 11 receptions for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns.
It has been an impressive start for the 6'3", 187-pound receiver, and the NFL community has started to take notice. While no guarantee to make the 53-man roster, Anderson offers decisive route running, strong hands, and athleticism, all of which have been on display through training camp and the preseason, and he has certainly done everything in his power to make the team.
Despite his scrawny frame, his length and explosiveness were on display at his NFL pro day, where he ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash and put up impressive numbers in the vertical jump (36.5 inches) and broad jump (128 inches), and he's got that Marvin Harrison look to him when out wide. Concentration drops did cause scouts some concern coming out of college, although his flair for the dramatic has certainly been the bigger story than any drops this preseason.
And while a Hall of Fame career is certainly unlikely, if he continues to progress the way he has, don't be surprised if he earns a bigger role in this offense as the season unfolds.
The Opportunity
The Jets surprised many in 2015 by boasting a relatively competent passing offense, totaling 4,170 yards and 33 touchdowns and ranking 15th in passing efficiency, per our metrics, as a team. Chan Gailey is a miracle worker as an offensive mind and helped Ryan Fitzpatrick to his best season.
Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker are firmly established as the top two targets in this offense, with Matt Forte and Bilal Powell likely getting a lot of work out of the backfield. But Marshall is 32 years old, although he certainly still has gas left in the tank, and there isn't much established depth at the receiver or tight end position. Should injuries or age catch up to either Marshall or Decker, Anderson is an intriguing player to monitor.
Gailey loves running out of spread sets with three or four receivers, and he certainly has the running backs to fit that style of play. But who will emerge as a third or fourth option in the passing game is still in doubt, especially after the team jettisoned Jeremy Kerley and placed 2015 second-round pick Devin Smith on the PUP list. With Jace Amaro being a perpetual disappointment at tight end and gadget player Quincy Enunwa battling concussions, Anderson has been given the opportunity to make plays. And he has delivered.
Now, it's time to see if he can translate that to when the games actually count.