Although the New York Jets’ success in 2015 will be largely dependent on how quickly a rebuilt roster can meld together as a team, there are also several players from the disappointing 2014 team that have significant roles to fill. On the offensive side of the football, one of the Jets’ most essential weapons remains in wide receiver Eric Decker.

Decker, a 3rd round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2010, has quickly established himself as one of the better wide receivers in football. With his success however, has come a noticeable amount of controversy. Any quick Google search using phrases like “Is Eric Decker a number one receiver” will bring up a litany of results.

Many critics, pointing to Decker’s success when working with legendary quarterback Peyton Manning, question if Decker is truly a great wide receiver or if he is the byproduct of the talent around him.

Although the argument that Decker’s success is a byproduct of working with Manning makes an interesting narrative, even a rudimentary glance at Decker’s numbers proves that this is not the case.

Team (Season) Decker Receiving Yards Decker Receiving Touchdowns Decker’s Primary Quarterback Quarterback TD/ INT Quarterback Passing Yards 2011 (Broncos) 612 8 Tim Tebow (11 games) 12/ 6 1,729 2012 (Broncos) 1,064 13 Peyton Manning 37/ 11 4,659 2013 (Broncos) 1,288 11 Peyton Manning 55/ 10 5,477 2014 (Jets) 962 5 Geno Smith (13 games) 13/ 13 2,525

At first glance, Decker’s stats are noticeably worse when he’s catching footballs from quarterbacks not named Manning. But when you look at the other quarterbacks that Decker has had to work with and the atrociously low offensive numbers they posted, its clear that he has served as a centerpiece for whatever offense he’s been on.

In fact, one could easily make the argument that Decker’s 2014 season, a year in which he managed to rack up almost a thousand receiving yards catching passes from an over matched Smith and a burnt out Michael Vick, was his best year yet.

Going into 2015, Jets fans should expect big things from Decker. With the Jets’ continual issues at quarterback and the addition of star wide receiver Brandon Marshall, Decker may not put up elite wide receiver numbers. However, he will continue to serve as a steady, underrated and vital offensive weapon for the Jets.

Overall, given his past production and the potential for this offense to be dramatically improved, Decker should be able to produce at least 800-1,000 receiving yards and 8-10 receiving touchdowns this upcoming season. If nothing else, Decker of 2015 will continue to prove to his critics that he is worth every penny of the 5 year/$36.25 million contract he signed last off season with the Jets.