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Ronald Jones

Bruce Arians talks up second-year back

We’re a week away from the full start of the preseason, and Ronald Jones is one of the first guys I’ll want to get eyes on. Supposedly he’s running with a lot more confidence this year.

The Bucs selected Jones early in the second round because they thought he could be their starting tailback, but he was hopelessly ineffective as a rookie. In the preseason, his 28 carries resulted in only 22 yards. He wasn’t much better in the real games (23 carries, 44 yards).

But Jones supposedly is new and improved this year. They were talking him up in the offseason, and Jones popped a couple of big runs when they had their first practice with full pads on Tuesday.

“He’s an explosive player,” Bruce Arians says, as reported in the Tampa Bay Times. “He’s going to be a heck of a player for us. He’s going to make big plays for us. . . . He’s probably best between the tackles, but he took that one around the end and nobody could catch him. He’s got that breakaway speed and the size. His best runs have been tackle to tackle until that one.”

Peyton Barber has led the team in rushing the last two years, but he’s a modest talent – a grinder who’ll run hard but lacks top-end speed and special elusiveness. Arians indicates he thinks Barber and Jones are “going to be a heck of a 1-2 punch.”

On my board, I’m going with Barber as Tampa Bay’s No. 1 running back, but I’m narrowing the gap between him and Jones. In my eyes, Barber should be one of the last starting running backs chosen, while Jones should be one of the first No. 2 backs selected.

Keep in mind with these guys, however, that Arians doesn’t have a great track record with running backs. His offenses tend to be more pass-oriented. One huge exception, of course – David Johnson was the most productive back in the league back in 2016 (using PPR scoring). But Arians has been the offensive coordinator or head coach for 11 teams since 2007, and only six of those teams have had a top-20 running back.

BRUCE ARIANS: TOP 50 RUNNING BACKS
YearPlayerNoReYdRuYdToYdTDPPRRk
2016David Johnson, Ariz.808791,2392,11820413.81
2010Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt.231671,2731,44013245.011
2015David Johnson, Ariz.364575811,03813217.87
2009Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt.252611,1081,3698209.917
2007Willie Parker, Pitt.231641,3161,4802183.020
2014Andre Ellington, Ariz.463956601,0555181.519
2011Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt.181549281,0829180.222
2008Mewelde Moore, Pitt.403205889086166.829
2013Andre Ellington, Ariz.393716521,0234165.326
2013Rashard Mendenhall, Ariz.181346878218150.129
2012Vick Ballard, Ind.171528149663131.633
2007Najeh Davenport, Pitt.181844996837128.338
2008Willie Parker, Pitt.3137918045113.446
2015Chris Johnson, Ariz.6588148723111.248
2011Isaac Redman, Pitt.1878479557391.748
2015Andre Ellington, Ariz.15148289437376.768
2012Donald Brown, Ind.993417510168.060
2017Kerwynn Williams, Ariz.1093426519167.971
2014Stepfan Taylor, Ariz.1179208287465.771
2009Mewelde Moore, Pitt.21153118271264.468
2010Mewelde Moore, Pitt.2620599304060.466
2009Willie Parker, Pitt.664389453157.373
2010Isaac Redman, Pitt.972247319252.971
2011Mewelde Moore, Pitt.11104157261143.183
2012Delone Carter, Ind.113122135332.592
2017D.J. Foster, Ariz.1713319152032.289
2017Elijhaa Penny, Ariz.438124162232.290
2016Andre Ellington, Ariz.128596181030.192
2016Kerwynn Williams, Ariz.16157163229.394
2013Alfonso Smith, Ariz.106854122128.295
2014Kerwynn Williams, Ariz.211246257027.796
2013Stepfan Taylor, Ariz.871115186026.699
2008Gary Russell, Pitt.1-27775326.590
2015Kerwynn Williams, Ariz.216142158123.8107
2007Carey Davis, Pitt.124968117023.796
2014Robert Hughes, Ariz.814011151023.1102
2012Mewelde Moore, Ind.6772097121.7113
2017Chris Johnson, Ariz.543114157020.799
2014Marion Grice, Ariz.7294170120.0109
2016Chris Johnson, Ariz.009595115.5113
2017David Johnson, Ariz.6672390015.0110
2014Jonathan Dwyer, Ariz.285159113.9121
2011Jonathan Dwyer, Pitt.16123129013.9117
2008Carey Davis, Pitt.5273562011.2124
2011John Clay, Pitt.004141110.1127
2008Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt.217587509.5128
2015Stepfan Taylor, Ariz.14586207.2136
2010Jonathan Dwyer, Pitt.00282802.8140
2007Dan Kreider, Pitt.11521702.7144
2007Verron Haynes, Pitt.11201202.2146

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index