Sam Darnold

It might not be make-or-break, but Darnold enters his third NFL season with big expectations. The Jets are counting on his second year in coach Adam Gase's offense going more smoothly than last year when an early season bout with mononucleosis cost him three games. It took Darnold some time to get on track once he returned as he threw nine interceptions (to five TDs) in his first four games back. But in the second half of the season he made great strides, throwing 13 touchdowns and four interceptions and increasing his YPA by more than a yard (7.3 vs. 6.2) over the first half as the Jets went 6-2. If Darnold is to take the next step, though, he has to improve his deep-ball accuracy. Last season, he completed only 25.0 percent of his attempts longer than 20 yards, 29th of 32 qualified QBs. His 9.2 YPA on those throws was 26th. He also was ineffective on play action, ranking 29th in YPA, 31st in completion percentage and last in passer rating. Perhaps he'll get more time behind a rebuilt offensive line after taking 33 sacks in 13 games last year. The Jets signed three linemen and drafted 6-7, 364-pound LT Mekhi Becton 11th overall. Darnold, whose fantasy upside is capped by a lack of rushing, lost field-stretcher Robby Anderson in free agency, but the Jets signed Breshad Perriman and drafted WR Denzel Mims, who boasts both size (6-3) and speed (4.38 40). With the exception of Kyler Murray, the 23-year-old Darnold is still younger than every projected starting quarterback this season, including No. 1 pick Joe Burrow. Even so, with the division as wide open as it's been in years, it's go time for Darnold.

Picked third overall in last year's draft, Darnold walked into an ugly situation with the Jets and created legitimate cause for optimism by year's end. His final stat line was not much to look at, and he only won four of his 13 starts, but a strong connection with deep-threat Robby Anderson sparked an impressive three-week stretch in December. The Jets also got a surprisingly effective season from rookie tight end Chris Herndon, then in the offseason spent big money on running back Le'Veon Bell and slot receiver Jamison Crowder. With Anderson and Quincy Enunwa also returning, Darnold has a much better situation for his second NFL campaign. The offensive line is somewhat less encouraging, but a trade for guard Kelechi Osemele at least provides hope for modest improvement. Better blocking would go a long way, considering Darnold lived up to his aggressive reputation by ranking 11th in average depth of target (9.0) as a rookie. He's no dink-and-dunk game manager, but while he has the ability to move around and throw his receivers open, Darnold doesn't possess the type of elusiveness that would allow him to thrive as a downfield passer behind a shaky line. Of course, he may be forced into safe, high-percentage throws under new coach Adam Gase, who favored the short passing game in Miami.

Darnold was viewed as a candidate for the No. 1 overall selection in April's draft, but when he fell to the third spot, the Jets were happy to scoop him up with the hope that he might emerge as a franchise savior. Though the Jets re-signed their primary starter from 2017 (Josh McCown) and brought in another accomplished signal-caller in free agency in Teddy Bridgewater, Darnold was given the opportunity to compete for the top job in training camp and quickly made a positive impression in practices and exhibition play. The Jets have yet to officially announce their plans for Week 1, but the team's decision to trade Bridgewater to the Saints on Aug. 29 likely opens the door for Darnold to begin the season as the team's starter. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Darnold brings ideal size to the position along with a strong arm and good mobility. He can improvise to extend plays and throw accurately on the run, but the knock on him is two-fold: his windup delivery and ball security. Some scouts believe Darnold probably has enough velocity to overcome the extra release time caused by the delivery, but he'll need to improve his decision making to address the latter concern. During his final year at USC, Darnold was responsible for 22 turnovers, including nine lost fumbles.