Aaron Jones Fantasy Outlook & Injury Update 2022 (Is a Bounce Back Year Coming?)

Aaron Jones' 2021 fantasy season was up-and-down to say the least. He did not completely disappoint, finishing as the No. 11 RB in PPR scoring formats. However, he also didn't live up to expectations. The 2022 season will go a long way in showing whether or not he is an elite option.

With that being said, it's no surprise to see Jones teetering on the border of being a RB1 in fantasy football league rankings. His average draft position (ADP) has him going as the 14th running back off the board and a relatively safe late second or early third round pick.

Aaron Jones Fantasy Football Outlook

Jones has always been looked at as a popular fantasy option because he has played the entirety of his career on a high-scoring Green Bay Packer's offense led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It led to a breakout year in 2019 (19 touchdowns) and a top-five fantasy RB finish in 2020. Everything changed last season, though.

The emergence of fellow ball-carrier AJ Dillon caused Jones' rushing production to dip in a big way. After logging 1,104 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns on 248 touches in 2020, Jones tallied only 799 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns on 223 touches in 2021. It was an almost identical output as Dillon (803 yards, 5 rushing touchdowns, 221 touches). Head coach Matt LaFleur showcased a strategy that kept his running backs fresh by sharing the workload.

It's important to note that Jones' lack of rushing upside is offset by his high ceiling in the passing attack, though. The former UTEP standout hauled in a career-high 52 receptions in 2021 for 391 yards and 6 touchdowns. It simply saved his fantasy season. A similar or even expanded role can be expected without star wide receiver Davante Adams around to be targeted.

Aaron Jones Injury Update

It would be irresponsible to overlook the fact that Jones hasn't played a full season since 2019. He missed two games in 2021 due to knee issues and missed two games in 2020 due to calf strain.

The good news is that Jones is not experiencing any lasting effects at this time. His ability to cut on a dime and change direction is always going to test the strength of his legs as an NFL running back. Jones enters training camp fully healthy and fresh off signing a four-year extension with the Packers worth $48 million.

Aaron Jones Projections

Projections from the NFL odds on FanDuel Sportsbook expect Jones to finish in the middle of the pack once again. He's 20th to lead the NFL in rushing (+4000), which lines up perfectly with where he finished among rushers in 2021. Jones is also 18th to lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns (+3000), a title he once took home in 2019 with 16 touchdowns on the ground. When taking into consideration his career averages over the last three seasons (16.8 touches per game, 5.6-yard average), it's not unrealistic to think Jones can post over 1,500 yards from scrimmage in a full 17-game season.

Is Aaron Jones a Good Fantasy Football Pick?

When it comes down to it, is Jones someone worth targeting as a late RB1? Yes, but it's important to temper expectations. He's the No. 9 running back in The Duel's PPR fantasy football rankings, and is worthy of consideration one the top names are off the board.

Jones lines up as a stellar RB1 to have for a fantasy managers aiming to select a wide receiver in the first round. Grabbing the Green Bay star in the second would be a heck of a start to a balanced roster.

Oh, and if you drafted Jones with an early-round pick then you might want to check out the best Aaron Jones fantasy football team names for your squad too.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.