Jamaal Williams and AJ Dillon Fantasy Outlook Skyrocket Following Aaron Jones Injury Update

Aaron Jones Injury Update

Update (11:40 a.m. EST, Sunday October 25): Aaron Jones is officially inactive for Week 7. Jamaal Williams is now a great starting RB option in fantasy football, while A.J. Dillon offers FLEX value for managers looking for a starting option.

Green Bay Packers star running back Aaron Jones apparently tweaked his calf in practice this week and is shaping up to be a true game-time decision. Playing without Jones would be a significant blow to his fantasy managers and the Packers, but thankfully the team does have two solid backups.

If Jones can't go, Jamaal Williams and AJ Dillon could both become must-add players for a Week 7 matchup with the Houston Texans.

Jamaal Williams Fantasy Outlook

Williams served Jones' primary backup last year, and the same has been true this season. He has played at least 30% of the team's snaps every week, playing at least 40% of the snaps in all but one game. Williams has also played at least 50% of the snaps in back-to-back games now.

The 9.4 opportunities (carries plus targets) per game haven't been enough to make him fantasy relevant, but that's likely to increase significantly if Jones is ruled out. Facing a Houston defense that checks in as the league's fifth-worst unit against the run in Football Outsiders' DVOA metrics, the increased workload could make Williams a legitimate RB2 option if Jones is out.

Williams is also averaging 2.8 targets per game and recorded an 8-target outing once this season, so he'd be particularly valuable in PPR formats.

AJ Dillon Fantasy Outlook

However, Dillon's presence does throw a wrench into things. The rookie hasn't seen the field nearly as much as Williams, playing less than 30% of the team's snaps in all but one game, but he's coming off a season-high 47% snap share in Week 6. That mostly all came once the game was out of hand, though.

Dillon profiles as a between-the-tackles runner who doesn't offer much as a pass-catcher. He'd have the potential for double-digit carries if Jones is sidelined, and his powerful running style could help him get some work in goal-line situations. That's really valuable on an offense that scores as often as Green Bay, particularly against a Texans' defense allowing the seventh-most points in the league.

Williams would be the preferred play if Jones is out, but both he and Dillon could return decent value this week. It'll be crucial to monitor Jones' status right up until kickoff.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.