The New York Jets always knew they would operate a run-based offense in 2025, but the running game might be all that matters with WR Garrett Wilson out.
Wilson is set to miss as many as 3-4 weeks, including "Thursday Night Football" against the New England Patriots, leaving an already thin Jets wide receiver depth chart without perhaps its only reliable weapon.
Unheralded pass-catchers, including two acquired ahead of the trade deadline, will have to step up for a hurting New York passing game if the Jets want to keep their short win streak alive against one of the top teams in the AFC.
Here's a look at the Jets' wide receiver depth chart with Wilson sidelined.
MORE WEEK 11 NFL:
- NFL power rankings for Week 11
- NFL Week 11 picks, predictions
- NFL Week 11 picks against the spread
Jets WR depth chart
| WR | Player |
| 1 | Garrett Wilson* |
| 2 | Tyler Johnson |
| 3 | Arian Smith |
| 4 | John Metchie III |
| 5 | Adonai Mitchell |
| 6 | Isaiah Williams |
| 7 | Allen Lazard |
* — Wilson is out vs. Patriots.
** — Reynolds is currently on IR with a hip injury.
1. Garrett Wilson (injured)
With Davante Adams released in the offseason, one of the top concerns for the Jets entering the year was the lack of wide receiver depth behind Wilson. Not only does that make a Wilson absence especially damaging, but it allows defenses to focus so much of their attention on the young star.
It's predictably been a down season for Wilson along with the rest of New York's passing game, as he has 395 yards and four touchdowns through seven games, a 17-game pace of less than 1,000 yards. Now set to miss as many as 3-4 weeks, Wilson appears headed for his first sub-1,000 yard season.
2. Tyler Johnson
With Josh Reynolds on injured reserve, Tyler Johnson has had to step up as a key complement to Wilson and is in line for a larger role while Wilson is down. The former fifth-round pick won a Super Bowl as a rookie with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and had 291 yards on 26 catches with the Los Angles Rams in 2024, but he can be classified as a journeyman on his fourth team in six seasons.
3. Arian Smith
A fourth-round pick out of Georgia in April, Arian Smith battled drop issues with the Bulldogs but has the speed to be a potential game-changer. So far, the results just haven't been there. Smith has only six catches through nine games, though his big-play ability has shown through a bit in recent weeks with a combined 36 yards on his last two touches entering Week 11. With Wilson out and options limited, Smith could have an opportunity for more consistent targets.
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4. John Metchie III
The Jets acquired John Metchie III from the Philadelphia Eagles in a pre-deadline deal, adding some much-needed depth with the former second-round pick. Once considered a potential first-round prospect out of Alabama, Metchie missed his rookie season while battling cancer and was limited to 412 yards over his only two seasons with the Houston Texans.
5. Adonai Mitchell
Adonai Mitchell is the wild card in the Jets' wide receiver room, as he is still just 23 and flashed some big-play potential as a rookie with the Indianapolis Colts before coming over to New York in the Sauce Gardner trade. Mitchell struggled to gain the full trust of the Colts' offensive staff — his biggest play of this season ended in an embarassing fumble through the end zone on what should have been a touchdown — so it will be up to the Jets to get Mitchell in the film room and committed to making the most of his potential. Mitchell was inactive in his first game since being traded to the Jets.
6. Isaiah Williams
A former undrafted free agent who had two catches with the Detroit Lions in 2024, Isaiah Williams has four catches for 35 yards as a depth piece in the Jets' wide receiver room this season. The Metchie and Mitchell acquisitions could keep Williams from receiving more regular targets.
7. Allen Lazard
Allen Lazard has largely been a bust in his three seasons with the Jets, and even a thin wide receiver corps hasn't been enough to earn him consistent looks this season. Lazard was a healthy scratch in Week 1 and was scratched again in Week 10. The former Packers receiver has 45 yards on seven catches through six games this season, but the Jets don't seem inclined to even make him active when their full group is healthy.
POWER RANKINGS: Patriots, Seahawks, Lions leap; Bills, 49ers, Steelers drop for Week 11
Garrett Wilson injury update
Wilson is set to miss 3-4 weeks with a knee sprain, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. The injury affects the same knee that forced Wilson to sit out in Week 6.
While the Jets themselves haven't provided an official timeline for Wilson, they have ruled him out for Thursday night's game against the Patriots. New York will have an extended 10-day break before facing the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12, but the reported timeline of 3-4 weeks means Wilson might have a tough time suiting up for that game as well.