Alex

Erickson

Erickson led a wide receiver corps consisting of himself, Quentin Johnston, and Keelan Doss, which speaks more to the level of talent of the team’s first-round selection in 2023 than it does to his own talents. Even so, Erickson returned a usable fantasy score for fantasy managers that found themselves in a bind in championship week.

Erickson turned in a solid preseason for the Jets, catching 9-of-10 targets for 95 yards and two touchdowns, with both scores coming in the preseason finale. A veteran receiver who has also spent time with the Commanders, Bengals, and Texans, Erickson could catch on with another team as wide receiver/special teams depth.

The longtime slot man and special teamer appeared in just two games for the Commanders last season. Now on the wrong side of 30, his only real avenue to making the Jets’ 53-man roster will be re-proving himself on the third unit.

Erickson spent the first five years of his career with the Bengals before joining the Panthers in 2021. He caught 43 passes for 529 yards in 2019 but has since reverted to playing an ancillary role as a receiver. Still, Erickson is a solid kick and punt returner who can moonlight as a WR4 if needed. His special teams prowess should guarantee him a roster spot at the end of the summer.

Erickson was part of the Texans’ blizzard of special teams signings in March, but he could not crack the 53-man roster for the worst team in the league. The Texans have also waived/released OG Lane Taylor, TE Antony Auclair, DB Rasul Douglas, QB Jeff Driskel, OL Danny Isidora, DL Jaleel Johnson, WR Chris Moore, LB Hardy Nickerson, DL Derek Rivers, LB Joe Thomas, OL Cole Toner, DB Shyheim Carter, WR Keke Coutee, OL Hjalte Froholdt, OL Carson Green, DB Ka’dar Hollman, RB Buddy Howell, TE Ryan Izzo, OL Ryan McCollum, DB Jonathan Owens, FB Paul Quessenberry, OL Jordan Steckler and WR Jordan Veasy.

One of the more seasoned return men in the league, Erickson joins the Texans’ burgeoning special teams army. Erickson caught only 12 balls in 2020, down sharply from his career high total of 43 in 2019. Even in Houston, there probably aren’t enough targets to go around for Erickson to compile to any noteworthy degree.

It was a quiet ending to a sporadically-useful campaign, one that saw Erickson cruise to a new career-high line of 43/529/0 as A.J. Green and John Ross missed extensive time with injury. Erickson went 14/234 in Weeks 7 and 8. Already 27, the slot talent is headed to free agency. This year’s showing could earn him some modest guaranteed money for 2020, but it is far from a certainty.

Erickson operated as the third receiver, a position that can often be completely ignored in Cincinnati. Today was slightly different given the opponent, especially since the game went crazy in the fourth quarter and overtime. Erickson is still best left off on the waiver wire in Week 17.

He actually led the Bengals in targets and also completed a 26-yard pass to Giovani Bernard. Erickson should have a role in three-wide sets the rest of the way with Auden Tate looking at a weekly ankle injury, but this offense runs into the Patriots in Week 15.

His eight looks were second on the team to Tyler Boyd’s nine, but Erickson is not a fantasy option headed into Week 13 against the Jets.