Chris Ivory looks like the star of the Jets show

Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall give the New York Jets one of the NFL’s best wide receiver duos, and both veterans played well today considering the circumstances with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback and the Cleveland Browns elite secondary standing across from them. But the star of the afternoon was running back Chris Ivory, who made good on all of the fantasy hype articles by running for 91 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, taking full advantage of the Browns questions on run defense stemming from last season’s poor performances in that department.

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Ivory is one of the best running backs in the league at making defenders miss, and he showed off serious tackle-breaking ability on his two touchdown runs, including on a touchdown run that was called back (before he ran it in for good). With Fitzpatrick at quarterback, the Jets figure to do everything possible to allow play to flow through the running game.

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With Zac Stacy inactive and former New England Patriots feature back Stevan Ridley on the reserve/PUP, 20 carries always seemed like a lock for Ivory today against the Browns. I wonder if the Jets limited him to 20 carries out of fear of him getting worn down too often, since he does have a bit of an injury history and has never carried the ball 200 times in a season (his 198 carries in 2014 set a career high).

Ivory looks locked in for workhorse-like touches, and if he continues to bounce off of defenders, then the Jets could make him Fitzpatrick’s 2015 version of Arian Foster. We all know just how much Fitzpatrick needs a strong running game in order to succeed, so whether it is C.J. Spiller, Foster, or Ivory, his coaching staff will make sure that a talented running back is leading the charge to make life easier on him as a quarterback.

Fantasy owners who bought into the Ivory hype and started him today against the Browns could be rewarded just as much next week. Although the Jets Week 2 opponents, the Indianapolis Colts, completely bottled up Buffalo Bills feature back LeSean McCoy, they might not be so successful against Ivory. The Colts run defense seems to be much better at stopping small, quick, explosive backs than big, bruising, explosive backs like LeGarrette Blount and Chris Ivory, who could add another touchdown or two in his second game of the season.

4.6 yards per carry, 91 yards, and two touchdowns always comprise a more than satisfactory stat-line at the running back position, but it will be interesting to see if the Jets get Ivory involved more often in the passing game. He caught his lone target today for nine yards and only had 18 receptions in the entire 2014 season, but we’ve heard talk this offseason about a potentially bigger role from him in the passing game. I doubt that happens with Bilal Powell, who turned in just two catches for 16 yards on four targets against Cleveland, locked in as the third-down back, but that’s something fantasy owners will hope for.

Remember, Ivory isn’t some flash-in-the-pan running back, because he, as per Pro Football Focus, was fourth and tenth in the NFL in missed tackles forced on the ground in each of the past two seasons. He’s also underrated at breaking off big runs, and that becomes more of a possibility against the Colts defense next week. If he can use his strength to get past the Colts first line of the defense, then he could be home free, which would give him an even bigger game on the yardage front in Week 2.

Ivory is a legit standout feature back and fantasy star, and the Jets quarterback situation will ensure that, as long as he remains healthy, he will be the most important player on this offense going forward.

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