A.J. Dillon is a running back for the Green Bay Packers. He was drafted by the Packers in the second round with the 62nd overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. Despite being born in Baltimore, Dillon played most of his high school football at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts, where he played both running back and linebacker. Dillon’s senior year at Lawrence Academy was cut short due to a broken leg, but he enrolled at Boston College as a three-star running back in the 2017 recruiting class.
At Boston College, Dillon was a dominant rusher. He totaled 4,382 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per carry over three seasons, resulting in a 4.8-percent (82nd-percentile) College Dominator rating.He was named First-team All-ACC three times, and ACC Rookie of the Year in 2017. Dillon posted a 4.53, 69th-percentile 40 time at the NFL Combine in 2020.
Dillon rushed 46 times for 242 yards in his rookie season, while Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams split the majority of the backfield touches. Heading into the 2021 NFL offseason, Dillon appeared to be poised for a sophomore breakout after rumors surfaced of fellow running back Aaron Jones leaving in free agency. Early drafters drove Dillon’s ADP up by several rounds in anticipation of Jones’ departure, only to see Jones sign a new contract with the Packers, return to Green Bay and torpedo Dillon’s value.
Despite Jones returning to the Packers in 2021, Dillon still saw a significant increase in volume. He totaled 803 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on 187 carries, and also surprised fantasy managers when he posted a receiving line of 34-313-2 on 37 targets. Despite not being known as a pass-catcher, Dillon had a 6.5-percent target share and finished the year with only two drops on 151 routes run.
Dillon did not see a bell cow workload in 2021, finishing No. 20 amongst running backs in both carries and rushing yards, but he ranked inside the top-20 in Yards Created (640) and Expected Points Added (+18.4). He also ranked No. 25 in Evaded Tackles with 56. Over 17 games, Dillon saw double-digit carries in nine and finished as a top-24 RB in seven. He finished as a top-12 back in three games and averaged 10.9 fantasy points per game (RB31).
Dillon handled just 178 carries over 15 games in the 2023 season, even while Jones was sidelined for significant portions of time with knee and hamstring injuries. Dillon struggled to create explosive plays, averaging just 3.4 True Yards Per Carry (No. 61) and logging just three Breakaway Runs (15 yards or more). Having completed his rookie contract, A.J. Dillon became a free agent in 2024.
