Aaron

Jones Sr.

Per head coach Kevin O’Connell, Jones suffered a quad contusion in Week 17 against the Packers. He spent some time on the sidelines while Cam Akers took over but was never officially given an injury designation. Wednesday’s practice was only a walkthrough, so we’ll learn more about Jones’s ability on Thursday. For now, fantasy managers can assume he will play through the issue in a battle with Detroit for the NFC North crown on Sunday.

He had his helmet and remained on the sideline after leaving Week 17’s game against the Packers. It sure sounds like he’s likely to give it a go against the Lions on Sunday night. Jones has left several games this year with injuries and the team has been judicious about proactively holding him out, but this is the time where they’ll want to get everything they can out of him if he’s healthy.

Jones reportedly was allowed to keep his helmet and remain on the sidelines toward the end of the game, suggesting Jones might have been able to play through the issue if the team needed him. The short-term results indicate Jones at least has a chance to play in Week 18 but practice participation and playoff seeding will undoubtedly factor in.

Jones was stepped on early in this contest, and while he did return, it was clear the Vikings were not going to give him a full dose with Cam Akers and Ty Chandler combining for 11 carries behind him. The four receptions help, but fantasy players likely were hoping for more volume in what for many was a championship game. Jones’ status for Week 18 is one to watch against the Lions.

Jones was involved early before the Vikings largely abandoned the run in comeback mode in the second half. He had a few nice runs but was eventually stopped by a Seahawks front seven that has snuffed out opposing rushing attacks over the past month. He was targeted on five of his 26 routes as no other Minnesota running back drew a target. Jones will be a top-15 fantasy play in Week 17 against a middling Green Bay rush defense. He had 139 scoreless yards in Week 4 against the Packers, his former team.

That makes touchdowns in three of four games for Jones. The Vikings had some trouble establishing it in the first half as they struggled with penalties and Jones had a pair of negative-one yard carries on a tough 15-play drive that ended with a pick. But they finally cracked Chicago’s defense late in the third quarter as Jones took seven carries on a 12-play drive that he capped with a score. Jones ceded some late playing time to Cam Akers, but that was about the game situation. He’ll be in the RB2 ranks for Week 16’s game against the Seahawks.

Jones’ return to full participation means he must only remain setback-free in order for him to play in his typical lead-back role on Monday. Fantasy managers can count on him as an RB2 against the Bears defense allowing the ninth-most yards before contact per carry (1.4).

This is a new injury for the 30-year-old running back. Jones has already dealt with a pair of hip injuries this season and the team has occasionally reduced his workload in recent weeks. He appears likely to suit up against the Bears for now but a new injury is worth monitoring.

Looking to bounce back from a Week 13 that saw him put the ball on the ground twice, Jones still saw his second fewest carries since the Vikings’ Week 6 bye, but he scored his sixth total touchdown and out-carried Cam Akers 13-5. Akers was getting the ball deep into closeout mode in a multi-score contest. Jones looked “back.” The Vikings simply destroyed the Falcons through the air. The Vikes will probably look to spell veteran Jones down the stretch as they get ready for the postseason, but he’s a safe RB2 against the Bears’ vulnerable run defense for Week 15.

Jones was benched for the better part of two quarters after fumbling twice in the first quarter, losing one of the fumbles to Arizona. Cam Akers had four rushing attempts to Jones’ five in a game that saw Sam Darnold throw 31 passes. Jones’ playing time and involvement in the Vikings offense has been shaky of late. On Sunday, he ran a route on just 18 of the team’s 41 drop backs and saw four targets, fourth most among Vikings pass catchers. Akers’ involvement and Jones’ fumbling issues will make him a decent RB2/3 option in Week 14 against the Falcons, though the upside he had early in the season appears to be gone.