Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon had a great opportunity the last two weeks to not only cement his role with the team but likely increase his potential earnings down the road. With Aaron Jones sidelined because of a hamstring injury, it was AJ Dillon who took over as the team’s lead back.
This was a golden opportunity for the 2020 second-round pick; a chance to showcase his talents as the unquestioned starter with little competition for touches. In the final season of his rookie contract, this is the kind of chance that players dream of.
Fantasy Football owners that have AJ Dillon on their team were thrilled about the possibility as well. Unfortunately, he didn’t make the most of the chances. He had a dud against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 and followed it up with another in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints.
In the two games without Jones in the line, the Boston College product carried the ball 26 times for only 88 yards without a touchdown. He wasn’t involved in the passing game either, catching only one pass for eight yards.
It was a very disappointing stretch for AJ Dillon, who has struggled thus far in 2023. Those performances actually raised his yards per carry average to 2.74 on the season, an unacceptable number.
With Jones now heading back into the lineup, AJ Dillon is someone that Fantasy Football managers can safely drop. As Jones’s backup, he isn’t someone that managers can start. He has proven that he isn’t someone worth starting even when Jones isn’t playing, as evidenced by the duds the last two weeks.
Green Bay no longer looks intent on getting AJ Dillon involved in the passing game, which caps his upside even more. He will likely pilfer some goal-line touches and short-yardage work, but he isn’t something that can be trusted in Fantasy Football. With Jones healthy, there is little reason to hold onto him any longer.
