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It's the worst thing a fantasy manager can hear: A player on your roster will miss time during the regular season.
Running back Jonathon Brooks falls into that category. Carolina head coach Dave Canales believes his rookie second-round pick won't see the field until Week 3. The former University of Texas star suffered a torn ACL in November.
Below, we dive into Brooks' fantasy football outlook and determine where you should select the Carolina running back in 2024 drafts.
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Jonathon Brooks 2024 Fantasy Outlook
Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson kept Jonathon Brooks on the sideline for the majority of his first two collegiate seasons. He shined when it was his turn to lead the way, totaling 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns on an impressive 6.1 yards per carry in his junior season. The Carolina Panthers made him the first running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft (46th overall), despite the ACL issue.
Jonathon Brooks👇
94.4 IN-GAME ATHLETICISM™ Score— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) April 15, 2024
It's not the dream scenario for Brooks (Dallas, anyone?), but it could have been worse. The rookie will compete for touches with Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders, who was essentially benched in 2023 after signing a noteworthy free-agent contract with the team. Hubbard is reliable but is better suited for an RB2 role. Brooks is the most talented of the trio.
Canales made Rachaad White an RB1 last season in Tampa Bay, despite low efficiency metrics, like 3.6 yards per carry. Like White, he'll want to get Brooks involved in the passing game when he's healthy. Not only will that help fantasy football managers off the field, but it will also assist quarterback Bryce Young's development on the field.
Which Round Should You Draft Jonathon Brooks In Fantasy Football?
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Drafting injured players is generally not a smart strategy. This is a unique case because we know that Brooks is at the tail end of his recovery, and there's a similar comparison to a former fantasy football star.
Like Brooks, Todd Gurley would have entered the NFL as the clear-cut top running back prospect if not for an ACL tear. Notably, their injuries happened four days apart (November 15, 2014, for Gurley and November 11, 2023, for Brooks). Gurley was inactive for the first two games of his rookie campaign. When the season ended, Gurley was PPR's RB9 and averaged 19.8 points during the fantasy football playoffs. Of note, this was before the Rams were coached by Sean McVay and developed into one of the league's best offenses.
Todd Gurley tore his ACL on November 15th, 2014 at 20 years old. Here’s how many touches he had as a rookie in 2015.
Week 1: 0 (inactive)
Week 2: 0 (inactive)
Week 3: 7
Week 4: 21
Week 5: 30Jonathon Brooks tore his ACL on November 11th, 2023 at 20 years old.
— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) August 3, 2024
That's the best-case scenario for Brooks. Fantasy managers should be drafting Brooks on late-season potential, not immediate success. Selecting the rookie as an RB2 to start the season is foolish unless managers want to also invest in Hubbard. Brooks' current ADP rests in the ninth round, which is a respectable time to bet on talent, especially if your league settings allow a player listed as out to sit in an IR spot.
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