Aaron Jones is a running back for the Minnesota Vikings. The Pack pulled off one of the biggest steals of the 2017 NFL Draft when they selected the former UTEP product in the fifth round with the 182nd overall pick. Jones attended Burges High School in El Paso, Texas, and opted to stay close to home when he enrolled at UTEP as a three-star prospect from the 2013 recruiting class. As a freshman, Jones quickly made an impact at UTEP when he rushed 155 times for 811 yards and four touchdowns. He then broke out as a sophomore, posting college a 242-1321-11 rushing line, also catching 30 passes for 293 yards and another three touchdowns. His junior season was cut short with an ankle injury, but as a senior, Jones rebounded for a 229-1773-17 rushing season, catching another 28 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns.
As a small school prospect, Jones flew under the radar as a Draft prospect. He amassed elite collegiate production, with a 47.0-percent College Dominator Rating (97th-percentile), a 7.7 college YPC (96th-percentile) and a 12.9-percent College Target Share (89th-percentile) and a 4.56 40-time. Despite profiling as a top-flight three-down back, Jones fell to the back end of the fifth round in the 2017 NFL Draft, and has been making teams pay for it ever since.
Since entering the league, Jones has turned into one of the most effective and versatile backs in the league. He has posted two 1,000-yard rushing seasons during his first five seasons in the league, and caught 26 or more passes in every year with the exception of his rookie season. In 2021, after signing a new four-year, $48 million contract with the Packers, Jones rushed for 171-799-4 while also catching 52 passes for 391 yards and another six touchdowns. Despite ranking No. 26 in Opportunity Share (52.7-percent) and No. 24 in carries, Jones turned in yet another highly-efficient season per Next Gen Stats.
From a fantasy perspective, Jones had a fantasy ranking of RB11 in fantasy points per game (15.3), which is testament enough to his efficiency for a running back who ranked as a low-end RB2 from a volume perspective. An ever-efficient back, Jones was boosted by his receiving. He was No. 6 in receptions and No. 10 in receiving yards. Jones also finished No. 11 among running backs with a 12.9-percent Target Share on 255 routes run. He was No. 10 in Yards Created (746), No. 14 in Yards Per Touch (3.35) and No. 7 in Production Premium at +13.2.
Jones overcame the emergence of second-year back AJ Dillon in 2021, and the veteran's extreme efficiency and contributions in the passing game were enough to make him a top-12 RB again in 2022. The Packers resigned Jones, so he is in the teams plans for the future. After completing his fourth straight season as a top-12 fantasy RB, 2023 brought a slight dip in production. This was mostly due to hamstring and knee injuries he dealt with during the season. When he was fully healthy, he was still a difference maker on the field. The Packers let him test free agency and he signed a 1-year deal with the division rival Minnesota Vikings where he will start over Ty Chandler.
