John

Metchie

Metchie operated as the WR2 in the absence of both Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette but was unable to return any fantasy utility on a night second-year receiver Tetairoa McMillan set new career highs in both receptions and yardage. Fantasy managers that were coaxed into adding Metchie through the injuries in Carolina can safely return him to the waiver from whence he came.

With a questionable Xavier Legette sidelined with a knee injury and Jalen Coker departing early with a quad issue, Metchie was forced into three-receiver sets alongside Tetairoa McMillan and “Brycen Tremayne.” His touchdown was an eight-yarder late where he found the soft spot in the end zone. The Panthers are undoubtedly happy Metchie stepped up, but with Legette likely to return for Week 4, Metchie isn’t worth a waivers look even if Coker is forced to miss time.

Metchie was traded to New York from Philadelphia midseason. He was more productive as a Jet, but fellow trade acquisition Adonai Mitchell quickly blew by him in the pecking order for targets. Metchie finished the season with 33 catches for 274 yards and two scores, nearly all of which came in New York. He will be fighting for a rotational role in Carolina this offseason.

Metchie will officially become a free agent next week. The Jets acquired WR John Metchie and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the Eagles in exchange for CB Michael Carter and a 2027 seventh-round pick in October. Metchie, 25, has caught 73-of-115 targets for 686 yards and three touchdowns in his career. The former second-round pick will likely get an opportunity to earn a roster spot elsewhere.

The former second-round pick had just four catches for 18 yards in seven games with the Eagles, so his season, and potentially his career, turned around when he was traded to the Jets at the trade deadline. In eight games (seven starts) with the Jets, Metchie posted 29 catches on 44 targets for 256 yards and two touchdowns. He will be a restricted free agent in the offseason, but is likely somebody that the Jets will try and keep around.

Metchie hasn’t cleared 35 receiving yards for a month after emerging as the Jets’ WR1 in late November. He’s taken a backseat to Adonai Mitchell, who on Sunday against the Saints led the Jets with six targets. Metchie, who ran 37 routes on 45 Jets drop backs against the Saints, won’t be a viable fantasy option in Week 17 against the Patriots.

The good news: Metchie has now caught at least four passes in four consecutive contests. The bad: He has not exceeded 34 yards in any of the past three weeks. Throw in the Jets’ ongoing quarterback carousel, and you have a No. 2 wideout struggling for WR4 relevance in fantasy football. There are worse 14-team league plays, but far, far better 12-team league options.

Pacing all Jets receivers by playing 56-of-58 snaps, Metchie tied for the team lead with eight targets. He was involved in both of Brady Cook’s red zone drives, with Cook looking his way on a red zone interception and Metchie dropping a pass that would have been a sure-fire touchdown in the second half. It was his second straight week dropping a potential touchdown. Neither he nor Adonai Mitchell are enticing WR1 options for the Jets offense, but they are both slated for heavy opportunity with Garrett Wilson out. Metchie has WR4 upside for Week 15 against the Jaguars.

With AD Mitchell finally going off for 8/102/1 on a whopping 12 targets, it was Metchie’s turn to disappoint as he dropped a probable score on a fourth quarter third down. Frustrating, though this Gang Green offense is now revolving around seeing what Mitchell and Metchie have down the stretch. Metchie is a WR5 who could have a WR3 day, especially in matchups like next week’s date with the Dolphins.

After failing to see a target in the first quarter, Metchie connected with Tyrod Taylor on the Jets’ fourth drive of the game, hauling in a 19-yard pass on the second play of the drive, and a 13-yard reception four plays later. The fourth-year receiver would make another 13-yard catch late in the drive, this time finding the end zone to score for the second week in a row. Metchie has now gone for 110 yards and two touchdowns on nine receptions over the last two weeks and looks like the best receiver in a room that largely devoid of talent at the moment. He’ll make for an interesting play in deeper leagues as a WR4 in Week 13 against the Falcons.