Week 10 at Chicago Bears
After registering just 22 yards two weeks ago, Marvin Jones bounced back with a team-leading eight receptions for a season-most 126 yards and a TD at Oakland last Sunday. Over the past three contests he’s been targeted 28 times and registered five scores. Jones is on pace for what would be his second career 1,000-yard season but has a tougher matchup in Chicago this week. With the way Matthew Stafford has been throwing, Jones is a WR2 play, even in what could be a cold afternoon.
Week 9 at Oakland Raiders
Just two weeks ago Marvin Jones was dancing in the end zone four times. However, with Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola posting big performances last Sunday at home against the Giants, Jones collected only 22 yards on four catches. The yardage was his second-lowest of the season and the third time he’s failed to post at least 45 yards in ‘19. Jones has a good chance to get back on track this week at Oakland against the league’s third-worst pass defense. He makes for a low WR2 option.
Week 8 vs. New York Giants
What a huge day it was for Marvin Jones last Sunday versus the Vikings. Even though Detroit lost, all he did was snag 10 passes for 93 yards and four TDs. In the first five games of ’19 Jones had only 20 catches and one score. Matthew Stafford looked the WR’s way a team-high 13 times, as Kenny Golladay was just a minimal part of passing attack. Jones and the Lions have a good matchup at home versus a suspect Giants pass defense, so be sure he’s a part of your starting lineup.
Week 7 vs. Minnesota Vikings
After registering 178 yards in his previous two outings, Marvin Jones was limited to season lows of 17 yards and two receptions by the Packers last Monday. Jones is still seeing an average of six targets per game but is clearly the second WR option for Matthew Stafford behind Kenny Golladay. Even though the Lions will be at home on Sunday, it could be a struggle for Stafford and the Detroit passing attack versus a Vikings defense that’s surrendering less than 220 yards per game through the air.
Week 6 at Green Bay Packers
Marvin Jones posted a team-leading 77 yards two weeks ago in the tough loss to the Chiefs. He’s becoming a bigger part of the Lions passing attack over the previous two games before the bye, registering 178 yards and a score. Even though the Packers allowed over 400 yards through the air last week against the Cowboys much of that was after the game was out of hand. Jones is more of a WR3/flex play on Monday.
Week 4 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
At Philadelphia last week Marvin Jones had his best game since the end of October last year, as he registered six receptions for 101 yards and his first TD of the season. He was targeted a team-high nine times and now leads Detroit with 200 receiving yards. Look for Matthew Stafford to come Jones’ way several times again on Sunday versus a suspect Kansas City pass defense. He can safely be used as a WR2 start.
Week 3 at Philadelphia Eagles
With a third of Matthew Stafford’s 30 passes going in the direction of Kenny Golladay last week in the win over the Chargers, Marvin Jones was targeted six times, resulting in five receptions for 43 yards. Jones is clearly the second receiver option for Stafford, but he could be a sneaky start on Sunday against an Eagles defense that has given up a lot of yards through the air. The Lions will need to score points to stay in the game, so Jones is a WR3 play.
Week 2 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
At Arizona last week Marvin Jones collected four receptions for 56 yards. Thanks to his two grabs for 44 yards in overtime, it wasn’t a completely disappointing game for Jones owners, especially when Matthew Stafford threw for nearly 400 yards. With Danny Amendola and TE T.J. Hockenson accounting for over 230 of the receiving yards, Jones ended up making the most of his four targets. The Chargers defense had trouble slowing down the Indy offense last week, so expect another good showing from the Lions. However, with all the weapons Stafford has, consider Jones a WR3/flex play.
Week 1 at Arizona Cardinals
Due to a knee injury last season Marvin Jones played in a career-low nine games, snagging 35 passes. He finished with more than five receptions just twice and was over 100 yards only once. Matthew Stafford and the Lions passing attack will try to exploit the Patrick Peterson-less Cardinals secondary on Sunday, but Jones makes for a WR3 start.
Fantasy Upside
Before missing the final seven games last season with a knee injury, Marvin Jones registered over 500 yards and five TDs. In his nine games of ’18, he caught at least four passes five times and registered at least 50 yards on seven occasions. In the past two years he’s averaged 16.8 yards per reception.
Fantasy Downside
In his seven-year career, Jones has only one 1,000-yard season and has recorded more than 60 receptions just twice. He has been over the century mark just once in the past 14 games.
Bottom Line
Jones is fully recovered from the knee injury and will be the Lions No. 2 WR, lining up opposite Kenny Golladay. When he was with the Bengals, he missed all of ’14 with foot and ankle injuries but rebounded to post a career-high of 65 catches and is set up for another solid season. In the past five seasons he’s played, Jones has scored 32 times. He remains a top-30 fantasy WR.
