Curtis

Martin

He finishes the preseason with 20 carries.

Martin has barely carried the ball the last few preseasons, then got off to notoriously slow starts. Of course, Martin finished very strong. Martin’s stock is so low with some fantasy heads that he could be undervalued in drafts after his 2 TD season. We see that total as an anomaly. He can still be a productive running back.

That the question is even brought up is alarming. Martin’s knee problem is among the biggest camp stories we’re following right now. If he can’t get right, someone in New York will have a chance to step up.

Martin has no cartilage in his surgically-repaired knee and has been seen walking with an obvious limp around Giants Stadium. Jets coach Eric Mangini says Martin’s status for the season, which is clearly uncertain, has not changed.

Martin was so concerned about his knee in April that he told the Jets to draft another running back because he was struggling to recover from knee surgery. The Jets have kept Martin away from the practice field and fans, and there is doubt whether he’ll play at all this year. We’ll drop him out of our top 50 running backs.

Martin reportedly mulled over retirement before the season before plowing ahead. We’re downgrading him to a flier fantasy pick at best and expect the Jets to acquire another runner. Maybe Herm Edwards should have used LaMont Jordan a little more in 2004, when Martin had 457 touches.

Mangini is easily winning the Jim Mora Memorial award for the most grueling camp for a rookie head coach.

Martin claims he’s working out every day but hasn’t set a timetable for himself to return. Still on PUP, the Jets’ veteran back is believed to have nearly no cartilage in his surgically-repaired knee.

As long as he’s healthy, Martin is still the heavy favorite to start in New York. He’ll have to share his carries with some combination of Cedric Houston, Leon Washington, and Derrick Blaylock.

He reportedly looked good in the work that he did. Martin, recovering from knee surgery, is probably ramping up slowly before training camp.