Week 10 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Aaron Jones faceplanted in Week 9 along with the rest of the Packers offense as they struggled to do anything against the Lions' soft defense. Jones only managed 45 scoreless yards on 11 touches and then left the game late with an ankle issue. X-rays came back negative on Jones' ankle, but it's fair to expect him to miss some practice time this week before heading into a tough matchup against a strong Cowboys defense in Week 10. The Cowboys rank as the second-worst matchup for running backs according to schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed. If Jones and the Packers can't figure out the Lions, they stand little chance of having a good day in Week 10 against Dallas. Assuming he plays, Jones is a low-end RB2 this week.
Week 9 at Detroit Lions
Aaron Jones has seized control of the Green Bay backfield in recent weeks with A.J. Dillon taking a backseat in both the run and passing games. Jones has 41 touches in the last two weeks and most recently racked up 157 total yards against an extremely tough Bills defense. Jones' matchup gets much better this week as the Packers travel to Detroit to take on the Lions, who boast arguably the worst defense in the NFL. Jones has been hyper-efficient as a runner this season at 5.9 YPC, and he should feast on the Lions as someone who can take advantage of mismatches in all phases of the game. Jones has had an inconsistent season as a whole, but he is a no-doubt RB1 this week in the best matchup he'll see all year.
Week 8 at Buffalo Bills
The Packers finally came to their senses and gave Aaron Jones a bell cow's workload in Week 7 with a 76.6% snap share to go along with eight carries and nine receptions on 10 targets. Jones only managed 76 total yards, but he caught two touchdowns, including a tough contested catch in the end zone that would've been impressive for most wide receivers. It is abundantly clear that Jones is the Packers' most dynamic weapon on offense, and he really should be getting a full starter's workload at the expense of A.J. Dillon (who only saw four carries in Week 7). Continuing to scale back Dillon's role would obviously be good news for Jones, but he will still face an extremely difficult matchup this week on the road in Buffalo. The Packers have struggled to produce offense against defenses far weaker than the ferocious Bills this season. Jones should still be started as a fantasy RB2 as game script could lead to serious target volume, but his floor is low this week due to the real possibility Green Bay gets steamrolled Sunday night.
Week 7 at Washington Commanders
It's been a frustrating 2022 season for Aaron Jones to say the least. Jones only saw nine carries and three targets in Week 6 against the Jets to total 44 scoreless yards. Jones now has one RB1 finish and one RB2 finish this season to go along with four weeks of flex or bench-worthy production. That's not exactly what fantasy managers envisioned when he was a second or third round pick this offseason. The most concerning issue is Jones' drop-off in receiving production, even without Davante Adams in the picture to hog targets. Jones has yet to catch more than three balls in a single game this year as he continues to split work with A.J. Dillon in a mediocre offense. The Commanders are not a particularly daunting defensive matchup, but Jones is no more than a middling RB2 at this point in the season.
Week 6 vs. New York Jets
Aaron Jones is seeing a well-balanced workload as the 1A in Green Bay's backfield alongside A.J. Dillon. Jones is seeing 12.2 carries and 3.8 targets per game through the first five weeks, but only has two touchdowns which both came in Week 2 against the Bears. Jones' fantasy upside hinged on his ability to contribute as a receiver without Davante Adams in the fold, but Jones' passing production is curiously lacking thus far. Jones only has 98 yards through the air on the season as is seeing a disappointing 11.5% target share from Aaron Rodgers. Jones is keeping afloat by being a hyper-efficient runner, as he is averaging 6.4 yards per carry and currently sits within the top ten in rushing yards leaguewide. Jones' production is disappointing so far, but the Jets are not a threatening matchup and he should have some positive touchdown regression coming his way with only two scores on 75 touches, including 12 in the red zone. Jones still has to be started as a RB2 despite the inconsistent start.
Week 5 vs. New York Giants (London)
Aaron Jones managed to exceed 100 total yards in Week 4 against New England with the majority of that damage being done on the ground. Jones ripped off 6.9 YPC on 16 carries to rack up 110 rushing yards to pair with three catches as the Packers defeated the Patriots. Jones continues to see a slight usage advantage in the timeshare with A.J. Dillon and has been extremely efficient in the games where Green Bay has been able to function offensively. Jones is averaging 6.8 yards per rush on the season while seeing four targets per game. Combine those metrics with Jones' abilities in the red zone and he still brings a RB1 ceiling to the equation despite the inconsistent performance thus far. Week 5 presents a great opportunity for Jones to continue his efficient ways against a Giants defense known to get gashed on the ground. Fire Jones up as a surefire starter in Week 5.
Week 4 vs. New England Patriots
It's been a rollercoaster of a fantasy season for Aaron Jones drafters through three weeks. Jones has finished as the weekly RB29 and RB49 in two of his games, with a RB2 finish wedged in there in Week 2 when he eviscerated the Bears. Jones' workload has been more or less consistent. He is going to log 10-15 carries a week and see the majority of Aaron Rodgers' targets to running backs. The issues for Jones are efficiency and touchdown potential with Dillon stealing goal line work and having to run behind a Green Bay offensive line that has struggled at times. In Week 4, Jones will take on a Patriots defense that has been average against opposing backs this season, but also typically schemes to take away their opponent's top player. Jones will almost certainly see some extra defensive attention this week, but his locked-in workload makes him an upside RB2 play.
Week 3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After a severely disappointing Week 1 where Aaron Jones only saw eight touches, he bounced back in a big way in Week 2 thanks to a concerted effort by Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay coaching staff to get the ball in his hands with greater frequency. Jones saw 18 touches in Week 2 against Chicago and was wildly efficient, logging 132 rushing yards on 15 carries for 8.8 YPC and three catches for 38 yards. Perhaps most encouraging of all, Jones was active in the red zone where he took a 15-yard carry in for a rushing touchdown and also caught a short tap pass for another easy score. Jones is simply too talented to not be the focal point of the Green Bay offense with Davante Adams gone, and he will be needed in a big way this week as the Packers face off with the Bucs, a team whose defense shuts down traditional running games. A.J. Dillon is surely going to take some work from Jones on a weekly basis, but as Week 2 showed, he still has a massive weekly ceiling and can be started as a low-end RB1 in fantasy.
Week 2 vs. Chicago Bears
Week 1 was a storm of troubling signs for Aaron Jones. The Packers struggled to move the ball offensively as their passing game was completely ineffective without Davante Adams or Allen Lazard in the fold, and A.J. Dillon received more touches than Jones despite playing fewer overall snaps. Jones only ended up getting five carries and five targets, a workload he turned into 76 total yards. Dillon logged a two-yard rushing score on ten carries and six targets. It would not be surprising to see Jones and Dillon alternate productive games or stretches, which will surely prove frustrating for fantasy, especially if the Packers continue to struggle to get in the red zone. It's entirely possible Aaron Rodgers makes it a point to get Jones the ball in Week 2 and he should still be started in what is a nice bounce back spot at home against the Bears, but it's difficult to envision Jones paying off his ADP if the current backfield arrangement sticks.
Week 1 @ Minnesota Vikings
Aaron Jones's usage will be one of the more interesting fantasy storylines in Week 1 for the Packers. It looks like Jones will have to share the backfield with teammate A.J. Dillon in 2022, but he also looks poised to absorb some of the massive target share left behind by Davante Adams following his trade to the Raiders. Also helping Jones is the fact that the Vikings' defense finished in the bottom third of the league in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs last year, meaning Jones should see plenty of opportunities to produce on Sunday. The Packers' offense is more uncertain than usual this year, but Jones still looks like a borderline RB1 this week given his versatile role and skillset.
