Jets bench QB Zach Wilson ahead of Sunday’s game vs. Bears; Mike White will

The Jets are benching quarterback Zach Wilson for this week’s game against the Chicago Bears and will start Mike White. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first broke the news. Here’s what you need to know:

• When asked earlier this week about quarterbacks for this weekend’s matchup, Jets coach Robert Saleh said: “We’re keeping everything on the table.”
• Saleh’s statements came after  a 10-3 loss to the Patriots, in which Wilson completed just nine of 22 passes for 77 yards.
• Wilson was asked after that loss if he felt he’d let his defense down. He replied, “No.”

Backstory

Wilson and the Jets were limited to just two yards of offense in the second half of Sunday’s loss, which dropped them to 6-4 on the season. The Jets are 5-2 with Wilson as the starter. Both losses have come against the Patriots.

Despite his record, Wilson, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, statistically ranks as one of the worst quarterbacks this season. He’s only thrown four touchdowns in seven games but has tossed five interceptions. Among quarterbacks who’ve played in at least seven games this year, Wilson’s passer rating of 72.6 ranks 30th and his completion percentage of 55.6 ranks last, according to TruMedia.

White appeared in four games for the Jets last season, completing 66.7 percent of his pass attempts for 953 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions.

White’s potential fantasy impact

White could be a boost to more than just Garrett Wilson. White completed 66.7 percent of his passes (132) last year with 53.8 percent targeted to wideouts and 37.9 percent to running backs. That running back number would rank first in 2022 by over 10 percentage points (Justin Herbert second at 27.4 percent). Michael Carter is back in play as an RB2, while Elijah Moore could return to relevance with 20-16-195-3 in Weeks 8-10 last year with White at quarterback. We wouldn’t start Moore in Week 12, but Garrett Wilson and Carter should be with Moore being picked back up off waivers. — Ciely 

What they’re saying

Saleh said Wilson’s career with the Jets isn’t over. The intent is that he “gets back on the football field at some point this year.”

The coach added that Wilson “needs a reset” because there are some “basic, fundamental things” that have gotten out of whack for him.

Required reading

(Photo: Eric Hartline / USA Today)