Michael Carter
#2 RB,
Jets

ACTUAL 2022
126 FPTS
RANK: 39
2023 SEASON
84 FPTS
RANK: 61
AGE
24 yrs
HEIGHT/WEIGHT
5'8'' / 201 lbs
COLLEGE
North Carolina
SEASON | GP | FPTS | RANK | RUATT | RUYD | RUTD | RUAVE | RECPT | REYD | RETD |
2023 | 16 | 84 | 61st | 77 | 323 | 2 | 4.2 | 20 | 150 | 1 |
2022 | 16 | 126 | 39th | 114 | 402 | 3 | 3.5 | 41 | 288 | 0 |
3yr Ave | 14 | 155 | 26th | 147 | 639 | 4 | 4.35 | 36 | 325 | 0 |
Part of unproductive RB rotation
Carter rushed twice for eight yards and caught one of two targets for three yards in Sunday's 30-10 loss to the Cowboys.
The Jets fell behind early and failed to establish the run. Fellow running backs Breece Hall (four carries for nine yards) and Dalvin Cook (four carries for seven yards) fared no better than Carter on the ground, while quarterback Zach Wilson led the team with 36 rushing yards on five scrambles. New York will look to bounce back at home against the Patriots in Week 3, but Carter remains third in the backfield pecking order behind Hall and Cook.
Weekly Stats 2022
Stats not availablePerformance Splits: 2020 to 2022
Fantasy Points | Rushing Averages | Receiving Averages | ||||||||||||||||
LOCATION | STADIUM | GP | GS | GM | TOUCH | RANK | YD | TD | AVE | YAC% | 10+ | 20+ | 50+ | REC | YD | TD | ||
Home | Outdoor | 15 | 11 | 12.4 | 0.99 | 24th | 47 | 0.4 | 4.9 | 46% | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 2.9 | 24 | 0.0 | ||
Away | Outdoor | 14 | 9 | 6.1 | 0.62 | 86th | 20 | 0.1 | 2.7 | 48% | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 16 | 0.0 | ||
Away | Retractable Dome | 1 | 1 | 9.6 | 0.69 | 48th | 49 | 0.0 | 3.8 | 33% | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 37 | 0.0 |
Career Stats by Season: 2021 to 2022
Fantasy Points | Rushing Stats | Receiving Stats | ||||||||||||||||||
SEASON | AGE | TEAM | GP | GS | TOTAL | RANK | ATT | YD | TD | AVE | YAC% | 10+ | 20+ | 50+ | SHARE | REC | YD | TD | ||
2021 | 22 | NYJ | 14 | 11 | 154 | 29th | 147 | 639 | 4 | 4.4 | 54% | 13 | 3 | 1 | 39% | 36 | 325 | 0 | ||
2022 | 23 | NYJ | 16 | 10 | 126 | 39th | 114 | 402 | 3 | 3.5 | 33% | 7 | 3 | 0 | 28% | 41 | 288 | 0 |
Three touches in Week 1 win
Carter rushed once for six yards and caught both of his targets for 12 yards in Monday's 22-16 overtime win over the Bills.
Carter got three touches while Dalvin Cook and Breece Hall combined for 27 in the season-opening win. It will likely take an injury to one of the team's top two running backs for Carter to get more than a handful of touches per game in an offense that will be helmed by Zach Wilson moving forward after Aaron Rodgers ruptured his Achilles. Up next for Carter and the Jets is a Week 2 trip to Dallas.
Just one yard Saturday
Carter was held to one rushing yard on four attempts (no receptions) in Saturday's 32-24 preseason win over the Giants.
Carter was the first back to receive a carry for the Jets with Dalvin Cook and Breece Hall sitting out Saturday's exhibition finale. The 2021 fourth-round pick projects to serve as the Jets' third back despite Saturday's poor showing, but he won't carry fantasy value in that role this year.
Getting Saturday night off
Carter didn't dress for Saturday night's preseason game against the Bucs, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.
While Carter got the night off, both Zonovan Knight and rookie Israel Abanikanda are dressed and playing versus Tampa Bay. It's a signal from the coaching staff that Carter is firmly ahead of both for the Jets' No. 3 running back job behind Breece Hall and newcomer Dalvin Cook.
Bumped down to third on depth chart
Carter's expected to be the Jets' No. 3 running back this season, as Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that the team has agreed to a one-year contract with Dalvin Cook (shoulder).
Both Cook and Breece Hall (knee) are recovering from injuries, but New York's optimistic that they will both be available come Week 1. Carter has been working ahead of Zonovan Knight and rookie firth-round pick Israel Abanikanda in training camp, so the 2021 fourth-round pick remains likely to secure a roster spot in New York's deep backfield. Barring a setback or new injury for one of Cook or Hall, Carter's role is expected to be limited. Hall and Cook have career averages of 5.8 and 4.7 yards per carry, respectively, well above Carter's 4.0 YPC.
Effective on first two drives
Carter rushed four times for 19 yards and caught both of his targets for 34 yards in Saturday's 27-0 preseason win over the Panthers.
Carter got the start, but Zonovan Knight (16 yards on five touches) also mixed in on the team's first possession as both running backs made their respective preseason debuts after sitting out the Hall of Fame Game. A 25-yard catch on the opening possession accounted for almost half of Carter's yardage, which was accrued across the Jets' first two drives. In the event that Breece Hall's (knee) absence lingers into the regular season, Carter and Knight would likely open the season in a timeshare, but Carter's superior receiving skills should allow him to carve out a change-of-pace role even once Hall is healthy. Rookie fifth-round pick Israel Abanikanda is also vying for playing time, but he's likely more of a threat to Knight's role than Carter's.
Not playing Thursday
Carter isn't slated to suit up for Thursday's Hall of Fame Game versus the Browns, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports.
Breece Hall continues to reside on the active/PUP list due to the ACL tear that he suffered Week 7 of last season. Meanwhile, Carter and Zonavon Knight also won't play Thursday, leaving rookie Israel Abanikanda, Travis Dye and Damarea Crockett as the Jets' backfield options for the team's preseason opener. Carter's next chance to get exhibition action is Saturday, Aug. 12 at Carolina.
Feels good heading into Year 3
Carter is optimistic that he will bounce back in 2023 after a tough sophomore season in 2022, Andy Vasquez of NJ.com reports.
Carter worked in a change-of-pace role behind Breece Hall early in 2022 but failed to step up after Hall suffered a season-ending ACL tear. The Jets faced stacked boxes due to their poor quarterback play, and Carter found minimal room to showcase his speed, dropping from 964 scrimmage yards in 14 games as a rookie to 690 in 16 appearances in his second season. Hall's still recovering from his knee injury but the Jets drafted Israel Abanikanda in the fifth round in 2023 as insurance. Even if Hall regains health by Week 1, Carter's receiving ability should keep him involved in the game plan.
Totals 690 yards in second season
Carter rushed three times for four yards and caught two of three targets for one yard in Sunday's 11-6 loss to the Dolphins.
Carter struggled down the stretch along with the entire Jets offense. He totaled 402 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 114 carries while catching 41 of 554 targets for 288 yards over 16 appearances in 2022. Carter was used primarily in a change-of-pace role in his second NFL season, and he'll likely see similar usage in 2023.