Fantasy Football Faceoff: Brandon Marshall vs. Alshon Jeffery

Here's a look at whether fantasy football owners would be better off selecting New York Jets WR Brandon Marshall or Chicago Bears WR Alshon Jeffery in 2016 drafts:

2015 Stats

The Case for Brandon Marshall

Best-Case Scenario: The best scenario for Marshall is simply a repeat of last season. 2015 embodied his ceiling of production as he set a career-high in touchdowns and fell just shy of career marks in receptions and yards.

The messy quarterback situation in New York appears to have been resolved, with the Jets bringing back Ryan Fitzpatrick on a one-year deal. He'll assume the No. 1 role ahead of Geno Smith and rookie Christian Hackenberg.

With Fitzpatrick under center for the Jets, Marshall should be a lock for 1,200 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 90 receptions. With a floor like that, Marshall is a great WR1 option in both standard and PPR leagues. Consider his upside another 1,500 yard season and 13-15 touchdowns.

Worst-Case Scenario: Should Fitzpatrick get hurt, Marshall's floor and ceiling would drop precipitously - but that's really the only way you won't see Marshall wind up a WR1.

Injury shouldn't be much of a factor for Marshall considering he has played at least 13 games in 10 straight seasons. At 32, though, his overall health is worth monitoring.

The Case for Alshon Jeffery

Best-Case Scenario: Getting a full season from Jeffery would be the first wish for prospective owners. Jeffery missed six games in his rookie year due to hand and knee injuries and played in just nine games last season, missing Weeks 2-5 and 15-17.

When healthy though, Jeffery was exactly what owners had hoped for. In seven of his nine available weeks, Jeffery topped 75 yards and managed four 100-yard games. Jeffery also averaged 10.4 targets and six receptions a game, making him a strong PPR play.

With a full season of work under his belt, Jeffery is capable of achieving 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is the clear-cut No. 1 target in Chicago with an inexperienced Kevin White acting as his counterpart.

Worst-Case Scenario: In a word: injuries. Missing time will derail any player, but it is especially devastating when one loses an early-round pick and expected WR1.

Assuming a full season of work, Jeffery's main concern will be the play of quarterback Jay Cutler. The enigmatic QB has surpassed 3,500 yards in back-to-back years, but only once has he eclipsed 4,000. Cutler has also never hit the 30-touchdown plateau in his 10-year career. Based on his lifetime body of work, Cutler should finish with around 25 touchdowns.

Considering Jeffery topped 1,100 yards in his two healthy seasons, he should be a lock for a minimum of 1,000 yards and is more likely to approach the 1,200-yard mark in a full season of work. A baseline of eight touchdowns should also be a safe number. Thanks to his red-zone body type, Jeffery has averaged 0.51 touchdowns per game over the past three years.

Of course, an injury would bring all those figures to a crashing halt.

Verdict

Marshall is the definite winner. Fitzpatrick's presence secures Marshall's ability to go for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns, which as mentioned would finish close to Jeffery's ceiling. Considering Marshall also comes with a cleaner bill of health, he is the safer pick of the two.

With ADPs hovering between 18-20, fantasy owners will have to weigh each receiver's surrounding environment carefully before selection. But at the moment, Marshall is the better choice.