Second and third-year NFL players ready to break out in 2019

#4 Aaron Jones

I almost thought Aaron Jones did already break out too much to make this list initially, but due to a two-game suspension and share of carries in the Packers backfield, the second-year man’s totals didn’t meet the marks that I set, which would exclude him from the list.

When you look at the averages, however, you see a rising star, averaging 5.9 yards per touch and coming just one touchdown short of double-digits. This young stud out of UTEP should enter the season as the clear-cut number one option out of the Green Bay backfield. He has the burst, power and contact balance to rip off a big run every week and he got better when he touched the ball more often. In the five games that he carried the ball 12+ times, Jones’ average even went up to 6.1 yards per run.

With Matt LaFleur trying to install a zone-heavy rushing attack, that uses bootlegs and waggles off that, Jones is a perfect fit and a threat to run behind a convoy off a throwback screen once a game. Moreover, he is also the most talented pass-catcher among that RB group, which is a major part of those Shanahan/McVay offenses LaFleur has come up under.

Jamaal Williams is solely a check-down option in the passing game and Ty Montgomery was immediately traded after fumbling away the Packers’ chances against the Rams last season. Last year when LaFleur was OC on the Titans, Dion Lewis alone caught 59 passes as mostly an RB2 and Jones should definitely be on the field more.

Obviously Aaron Rodgers is still the main attraction on the Packers offense and I expect him to still be among the best signal-callers in the league, but his name colleague Aaron Jones could easily go for 1400 yards from scrimmage and create even more big play opportunities off play-action.