The Packers have three viable running backs. Ty Montgomery, Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones have all shown some ability, and they may end up sharing time. I don’t think there’s not a whole lot of difference between them for fantasy purposes – they should all be selected within a couple of rounds of each other in the second halves of drafts.
A few weeks back, there were articles suggesting Montgomery is in tip-top shape and looking to be their main guy. He was very good at the end of the 2016 season and their starter entering last year. He’s also in a contract year, for whatever you think that’s work.
Today at the team’s website, there’s an article suggesting Jones has been working out hard in the offseason and is primed to do more if given the chance. Specifically he’s been a regular in the weight room.
“I’m bigger all around,” Jones says. “That’s something that’s going to help me in pass protection and that’s something I want to get better at. I’m stronger, so definitely when a defender who’s bigger than me comes up I can hold my ground this year.”
Jones had his moments as a runner last year, with 125 yards against Dallas and 131 against the Saints. He had 6 runs of 20-plus yards on only 81 attempts, the best ratio in the league. Helped by the long runs, he averaged 5.5 yards per attempt last year, compared to just 3.8 for Montgomery and 3.6 for Williams.
But Jones was slowed by a pair of knee injuries, which limited how much time he got on the field.
And if Jones wants to get on the field in more of a full-time role, he’ll need to be better in passing situations. With the way the Packers throw the ball around, pass protection is key. And running backs also need to be able to catch some passes.
Jones was not effective as a pass catcher last year. He caught only 9 of the 18 passes thrown his way, and for just 22 yards. That works out to just 1.2 yards per target. There were 75 running backs last year who averaged at least a target per game, and that was the worst of all of them.
| RUNNING BACK RECEIVING | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD | Avg/Tgt |
| Chris Thompson, Wash. | 54 | 39 | 510 | 13.1 | 4 | 9.4 |
| Benny Cunningham, Chi. | 26 | 20 | 240 | 12.0 | 2 | 9.2 |
| Todd Gurley, LAR | 87 | 64 | 788 | 12.3 | 6 | 9.1 |
| Rod Smith, Dall. | 23 | 19 | 202 | 10.6 | 1 | 8.8 |
| Joe Mixon, Cin. | 34 | 30 | 287 | 9.6 | 0 | 8.4 |
| Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 100 | 81 | 826 | 10.2 | 5 | 8.3 |
| Derrick Henry, Tenn. | 17 | 11 | 136 | 12.4 | 1 | 8.0 |
| Austin Ekeler, LAC | 35 | 27 | 279 | 10.3 | 3 | 8.0 |
| Jamaal Williams, G.B. | 34 | 25 | 262 | 10.5 | 2 | 7.7 |
| Tevin Coleman, Atl. | 39 | 27 | 299 | 11.1 | 3 | 7.7 |
| Samaje Perine, Wash. | 24 | 22 | 182 | 8.3 | 1 | 7.6 |
| Kapri Bibbs, Wash. | 17 | 14 | 128 | 9.1 | 1 | 7.5 |
| Kyle Juszczyk, S.F. | 42 | 33 | 315 | 9.5 | 1 | 7.5 |
| Duke Johnson, Clev. | 93 | 74 | 693 | 9.4 | 3 | 7.5 |
| Mike Davis, Sea. | 18 | 15 | 131 | 8.7 | 0 | 7.3 |
| Lamar Miller, Hou. | 45 | 36 | 327 | 9.1 | 3 | 7.3 |
| Devontae Booker, Den. | 38 | 30 | 275 | 9.2 | 0 | 7.2 |
| Kareem Hunt, K.C. | 63 | 53 | 455 | 8.6 | 3 | 7.2 |
| Jalen Richard, Oak. | 36 | 27 | 256 | 9.5 | 1 | 7.1 |
| Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 38 | 26 | 269 | 10.3 | 2 | 7.1 |
| Rex Burkhead, N.E. | 36 | 30 | 254 | 8.5 | 3 | 7.1 |
| Marlon Mack, Ind. | 33 | 21 | 225 | 10.7 | 1 | 6.8 |
| Elijah McGuire, NYJ | 26 | 17 | 177 | 10.4 | 1 | 6.8 |
| Devonta Freeman, Atl. | 47 | 36 | 317 | 8.8 | 1 | 6.7 |
| Matt Forte, NYJ | 45 | 37 | 293 | 7.9 | 1 | 6.5 |
| Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 60 | 43 | 389 | 9.0 | 2 | 6.5 |
| Frank Gore, Ind. | 38 | 29 | 245 | 8.4 | 1 | 6.4 |
| Leonard Fournette, Jac. | 48 | 36 | 302 | 8.4 | 1 | 6.3 |
| Travaris Cadet, 2 tm | 19 | 16 | 119 | 7.4 | 0 | 6.3 |
| Andre Ellington, 2 tm | 59 | 39 | 369 | 9.5 | 0 | 6.3 |
| Theo Riddick, Det. | 71 | 53 | 444 | 8.4 | 2 | 6.3 |
| Chris Ivory, Jac. | 28 | 21 | 175 | 8.3 | 1 | 6.3 |
| Jerick McKinnon, Minn. | 68 | 51 | 421 | 8.3 | 2 | 6.2 |
| LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 106 | 85 | 655 | 7.7 | 2 | 6.2 |
| Dion Lewis, N.E. | 35 | 32 | 214 | 6.7 | 3 | 6.1 |
| Latavius Murray, Minn. | 17 | 15 | 103 | 6.9 | 0 | 6.1 |
| Peyton Barber, T.B. | 19 | 16 | 114 | 7.1 | 0 | 6.0 |
| James White, N.E. | 72 | 56 | 429 | 7.7 | 3 | 6.0 |
| Mark Ingram, N.O. | 71 | 58 | 416 | 7.2 | 0 | 5.9 |
| LeSean McCoy, Buff. | 77 | 59 | 448 | 7.6 | 2 | 5.8 |
| J.D. McKissic, Sea. | 46 | 34 | 266 | 7.8 | 2 | 5.8 |
| Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 113 | 80 | 651 | 8.1 | 5 | 5.8 |
| Melvin Gordon, LAC | 83 | 58 | 476 | 8.2 | 4 | 5.7 |
| Wendell Smallwood, Phil. | 18 | 13 | 103 | 7.9 | 0 | 5.7 |
| DeMarco Murray, Tenn. | 47 | 39 | 266 | 6.8 | 1 | 5.7 |
| Dalvin Cook, Minn. | 16 | 11 | 90 | 8.2 | 0 | 5.6 |
| C.J. Anderson, Den. | 40 | 28 | 224 | 8.0 | 1 | 5.6 |
| Ty Montgomery, G.B. | 31 | 23 | 173 | 7.5 | 1 | 5.6 |
| Damien Williams, Mia. | 28 | 20 | 155 | 7.8 | 1 | 5.5 |
| T.J. Yeldon, Jac. | 41 | 30 | 224 | 7.5 | 0 | 5.5 |
| Charles Sims, T.B. | 47 | 35 | 249 | 7.1 | 1 | 5.3 |
| Alex Collins, Balt. | 36 | 23 | 187 | 8.1 | 0 | 5.2 |
| Bilal Powell, NYJ | 33 | 23 | 170 | 7.4 | 0 | 5.2 |
| Danny Woodhead, Balt. | 39 | 33 | 200 | 6.1 | 0 | 5.1 |
| Matt Breida, S.F. | 36 | 21 | 180 | 8.6 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Kenyan Drake, Mia. | 48 | 32 | 239 | 7.5 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Tarik Cohen, Chi. | 71 | 53 | 353 | 6.7 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Marshawn Lynch, Oak. | 31 | 20 | 151 | 7.6 | 0 | 4.9 |
| Shane Vereen, NYG | 53 | 44 | 253 | 5.8 | 0 | 4.8 |
| D.J. Foster, Ariz. | 28 | 17 | 133 | 7.8 | 0 | 4.8 |
| Doug Martin, T.B. | 18 | 9 | 84 | 9.3 | 0 | 4.7 |
| Jay Ajayi, 2 tm | 34 | 24 | 158 | 6.6 | 1 | 4.6 |
| Ameer Abdullah, Det. | 35 | 25 | 162 | 6.5 | 1 | 4.6 |
| Jamaal Charles, Den. | 28 | 23 | 129 | 5.6 | 0 | 4.6 |
| Mike Tolbert, Buff. | 17 | 14 | 78 | 5.6 | 0 | 4.6 |
| Charcandrick West, K.C. | 34 | 27 | 150 | 5.6 | 2 | 4.4 |
| DeAndre Washington, Oak. | 45 | 34 | 197 | 5.8 | 1 | 4.4 |
| Isaiah Crowell, Clev. | 42 | 28 | 182 | 6.5 | 0 | 4.3 |
| Javorius Allen, Balt. | 60 | 46 | 250 | 5.4 | 2 | 4.2 |
| Orleans Darkwa, NYG | 28 | 19 | 116 | 6.1 | 0 | 4.1 |
| Wayne Gallman, NYG | 48 | 34 | 193 | 5.7 | 1 | 4.0 |
| Carlos Hyde, S.F. | 88 | 59 | 350 | 5.9 | 0 | 4.0 |
| Jordan Howard, Chi. | 32 | 23 | 125 | 5.4 | 0 | 3.9 |
| Adrian Peterson, 2 tm | 19 | 11 | 70 | 6.4 | 0 | 3.7 |
| Aaron Jones, G.B. | 18 | 9 | 22 | 2.4 | 0 | 1.2 |
Pretty dreadful numbers, but I’m don’t think Jones is quite that bad. I don’t think he’s another Alfred Morris or Jordan Howard, who simply can’t play at all on passing downs.
Jones was just a rookie last year, so he’s presumably still learning the offense and getting comfortable with the pros. And he also had to play most of last year with Brett Hundley, who probably contributed to a lot of those incompletions with throws that were late, early or off-target.
Jones seemed to be fine as a pass catcher in college. He saw significant playing time in two seasons at Texas El Paso, and he caught 58 passes for 526 yards and 6 TDs in those years, averaging 9.1 yards per catch.
But in weighing the Green Bay running backs as pass catchers, Jones seems to be their 3rd-best option.
—Ian Allan