Both Green Bay Packers running backs have been dealing with health issues this week, but Aaron Jones has been dealing with injury issues most of the season. Should that be enough for fantasy football managers to start AJ Dillon this week? Here is each player’s fantasy outlook for Week 15.
Should You Start Aaron Jones or AJ Dillon This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Dillon is the player to start. His projected 8.7 points include 36 rushing yards, two receptions, and 14 yards. That projected stat line outperforms Jones’ consensus projection of 5.4 points.
My personal ranking for these two Packers running backs aligns with the consensus. Dillon has been the more productive RB in recent weeks and deserves to keep it going, health notwithstanding.
Fantasy Outlook for Jones This Week
Jones hasn’t been on the field since before Thanksgiving, having been inactive in each of the last three weeks. He was expected to return in Week 14, but at the 11th hour was declared inactive.
Leading into Week 15, Jones has been limited in practice up to this point, so perhaps this is the week that we see his return?
Even if he can return this week, what kind of player can fantasy managers expect to see in Jones? In seven games this season, he’s topped 50 rushing yards only once. And the player who has averaged more than four and a half yards per carry every season in the NFL isn’t even averaging four yards a carry this season (3.7).
Even if he could return on Sunday, it’s doubtful we’re going to see anything resembling the Jones of previous seasons. The PFN Start/Sit Optimizer currently projects Jones to finish with 21 rushing yards, one reception, and 10 receiving yards.
Fantasy Outlook for Dillon This Week
Dillon, who played through a groin injury last week, has not practiced this week because of a thumb injury. Like Jones, his status will be worth following the rest of the week.
However, assuming he’s healthy enough to play once again, Dillon is clearly the choice to start among these two backs. He leads the team in carries (164), rushing yards (574), and scrimmage yards (797).
One item that fantasy managers would love to see improve in Dillon though is his ability to find the end zone. He has only one touchdown on the season, and that came all the way back in October (Week 5).
Dillon has 186 touches on the season. He’s the only player in the NFL with 140+ touches without multiple scrimmage touchdowns this season.
That said, Dillon has reached at least 70 scrimmage yards in four of his last five games, so while his production hasn’t been at a Pro Bowl level, he has still been productive.
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Dillon’s health status for the game should be worth monitoring for the rest of the week. But that aside, there’s no reason to consider starting anyone in the Packers’ backfield besides him until we see Jones produce at an elite level again.
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