The Green Bay Packers are not having a good season. Currently sitting with a 2-5 record and in third place in the NFC North, they are searching for answers.
Will they find them? I wish I could say yes, but they have struggled mightily on both sides of the ball through eight weeks of the 2023 season. One player that was supposed to provide significant production for the team, and hasn't to this point, is star running back, Aaron Jones.
Is Jones ready to turn things around? Is he playing in Week 9? Should you start him in fantasy football? Let's find the answers.
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Aaron Jones Fantasy Football Outlook
Did you head into your draft rooms in August and come out smiling knowing you had just drafted the starting running back for the Green Bay Packers? Are his initials AJ, and does he wear the number 33? If the answers to the previous questions are all "yes", you were probably feeling pretty good about yourself heading into the upcoming season.
Fast forward two months, and ask yourself, do you still feel the same? That's what I thought. What has derailed the usually reliable Jones so far in 2023?
Through eight weeks, the 28-year-old veteran has battled both inconsistencies on the field, and an inability to stay healthy long enough to be in uniform come game day. The injuries have been major setbacks for the elusive back, as he has played in only half the team's games, and compiled just 123 rushing yards along with 10 receptions for 121 yards, and two total touchdowns.
Should I Start Aaron Jones In Week 9?
What has frustrated fantasy owners the most through the first half of the season, has been the lack of touches Jones has seen when actually able to stay on the field. Seeing the ball much less than in years past, due both to injury and stolen carries from teammate AJ Dillon, Jones has seen his production fall off the map. But could this be the week everything in the world seems right?
Head Coach Matt LeFleur seems to think that now is the time that Jones is unleashed. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, LeFluer boldly stated that his star back is ready to "cut loose". Those words coming out of Green Bay can be seen as nothing but a positive if you are an owner of the former UTEP star, considering Jones has not been himself since suffering a hamstring injury way back in Week 1 against the Bears.
Although all indications are that Jones is still not 100%, reports out of Packer Nation are that he "looked good" all week during practice and that the team is ready to once again showcase his talents as a central piece of the offense. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but if you're counting on him for a late-season playoff push, keep your fingers crossed that this is the week your fortunes turn to gold.
If he is able to return to his normal self, consider Jones a high-upside RB2 against the Rams this weekend in Green Bay.
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