5. Aaron Jones
Although fans are still waiting for that elusive breakout season, it’s not hard to see the talent running back Aaron Jones possesses. Jones had a respectable 2018 campaign after he finished with 728 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on just 133 rushing attempts. It’s also noteworthy Jones only played in 12 games with eight starts. His career yards per carry average of 5.5 yards is the highest in NFL history among rushers with more than 200 attempts.
The biggest knock on Jones is the fact that he’s missed eight games in just two seasons due to injuries. After three separate knee injuries in just 18 months, there’s legitimate concern over whether Jones can handle a full NFL workload. It’s likely the reason new coach Matt LaFleur already came out months ago and stated he plans to take a running back by committee approach in 2019.
Perhaps limiting Jones’ reps will help keep his legs fresher and eliminate the risk of injury. It’s also possible Jones was simply adapting to an NFL workload over his first two seasons, and his body just wasn’t used to the constant pounding an NFL running back endures over a 16 game season.
Whatever the case, it’s undeniable Jones is a talented runner. Ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 12 overall running back in 2018, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him crack the top 10 this coming season, especially if he eclipses 1,000 yards for the first time in his career.