There were mystery rehab sessions and a non-committal coach. The loss of a franchise workhorse was followed by Dutch-boy like frenzy to fill the void. And it was all magnified by the sudden departure of one administration and the installation of another.

Yes, it was quite an off-season for the New York Jets. Yet Gang Green somehow managed to acclimate to a new coach, find new life in an old quarterback, replace the irreplaceable Curtis Martin and grow a few new stars for the future. All of it translated into a playoff berth for the Jets and a boon for fantasy prospectors who plucked several Jets starters from the waiver wire and came away with gems.

Who, after all, had enough faith to draft Chad Pennington, Jerricho Cotchery or Leon Washington on the eve of the new season. It's doubtful even Chad would have picked The Chad. Laveranues Coles aside, this trio enjoyed surprisingly strong seasons and were the driving force behind the Jets' resurgence.

There was a point when Pennington appeared destined to join the ranks of elite quarterbacks. Then came back-to-back rotator cuff injuries to his throwing shoulder, along with surgery and two grueling rehab stints.

The Jets seriously considered buying out the remainder of Pennington's contract and casting aside the former franchise quarterback this off-season. His workouts were always far from the media glare and nearly as secret as the Manhattan Project.

It wasn't clear whether Pennington, 30, would play again, let alone start the season for the Jets. And new coach Eric Mangini didn't help matters. He never publicly endorsed Pennington until the end of August, just days before the start of the season. Only then did he beat out the eclectic group of Patrick Ramsey, Kellen Clemens and Brooks Bollinger. Heck, throw former Missouri quarterback and Jets special teamer Brad Smith into the equation.

He started the season strong and finished just as impressively, completing 313 of 485 passes (64.5 percent) for 3,352 yards and 17 touchdowns with 16 interceptions. Those numbers placed him solidly in the top half of NFL starters and made him a viable option for fantasy owners.

Cotchery was one of the most prolific receivers in ACC history and a fourth round draft choice of the Jets in 2004. But his path to a starting job was gradual. He began his NFL career as a special teamer and then the No. 3 receiver on a 4-12 team.

But after a strong off-season followed by an equally eye-opening training camp, the solidly-built 6-foot, 207-pound Cotchery earned a starting job opposite Coles. Cotchery emerged as one of the top 25 fantasy receivers in the NFL. He wasn't star material, but depending on your scoring system, he was a solid No. 2 guy. He racked up 82 receptions for 961 yards and six touchdowns.

The Jets front office appeared to hold on to the belief Curtis Martin would return from knee surgery until grudgingly placing him on the physically unable to perform list during the preseason. That's 14,000 career rushing yards sidelined.

The Jets tried to get Lee Suggs from Cleveland before finally coughing up a fourth round pick to San Francisco for former 1,000-yard rusher Kevan Barlow. Cedric Houston and Derrick Blaylock also became options. But a fourth player — rookie Leon Washington — bulled his way to the starting job by season's end.

Washington, a fourth-round pick from Florida State, played in all 16 games but started just eight. He rushed for 650 yards on 151 carries — good for a 4.3-yard average — and scored four touchdowns. Washington added 270 receiving yards.

Like Cotchery, Washington wasn't a fantasy stud. But he proved a valuable No. 3 back and his value rose as the season wore on.

With the fantasy season behind us, it's never too early to look ahead to 2007. It's clear Pennington is finally back on track. And both Cotchery and Washington should make strides. They may have started the season in the fantasy scrap bin, but Pennington, Cotchery and Washington are keepers heading into the future.