AJ Dillon, Best RB Waiver-Wire, Trade Targets After Aaron Jones’ Injury | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

AP Photo/Aaron Gash

The Green Bay Packers and fantasy football players relying on Aaron Jones as their primary running back both might be in store for some unfortunate news.

The running back suffered an ankle injury during Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions. Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reported he “had a very noticeable limp and grimace in the locker room postgame.”

In theory, AJ Dillon could be a silver lining for fantasy players, considering he entered the season as one of the presumed top backup running backs in the league. However, he averaged just 3.1 yards per carry against the Lions and hasn’t looked like the version of himself who tallied 803 rushing yards, 313 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns last year.

Replacing Jones is also no easy task.

He’s one of the best running backs in the NFL and topped 1,000 yards on the ground in two of the last three seasons. He also led the league with 16 touchdown runs in 2019 and is a dual threat who can make plays in the aerial attack as well.

While Dillon may not replicate Jones’ statistical impact, he is still a must-start from a fantasy perspective if the starter is sidelined and is certainly worth a waiver-wire addition or acquiring via trade.

The 3-6 Packers may look to change things up and rely on the rushing attack after yet another loss. Aaron Rodgers threw three interceptions in defeat and has looked like anything but one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.

That could mean more opportunities for Dillon as he looks to rediscover the form he showed last season.

Elsewhere, Jeff Wilson Jr. is another potential target for fantasy players looking to bolster their backfield. He had nine carries for 51 yards against the Chicago Bears and also caught three passes for 21 yards and a score in his first game for the Miami Dolphins. Furthermore, Wilson looked more explosive than Raheem Mostert (nine carries for 26 yards and a touchdown).

Wilson only figures to get more chances as he becomes familiar with Miami’s offense and could be a key addition as a replacement for Jones.

A buy-low option could be Indianapolis Colts running back Deon Jackson, who had just 11 carries for 23 yards in Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots. Yet he had two catches and figures to remain a part of the passing attack, even when Jonathan Taylor returns with Nyheim Hines on the Buffalo Bills.

Taylor has also dealt with health concerns all season, so more starts could be in Jackson’s future.