Ronald Jones II

I know Leonard Fournette had a strong finish to the season while Jones was hurt, but we mustn't forget that Jones averaged 5.14 yards per carry and nearly hit 1,000 rushing yards despite finishing with just 192 carries. There are just eight running backs in the post-merger era who've finished with as many yards as Jones did with 192 or less carries. He's not going to be heavily utilized in the passing game, which severely caps his upside, but Jones is the Bucs best ball carrier.

Ronald Jones impressing coaches and looks primed for a big year

Ronald Jones is showing zero hesitation in hitting his holes, turning the corner on outside runs, and appears locked in during his contract year.

Fantasy Impact

Fantasy managers tend to overlook just how effective Jones was rushing the ball in 2020. He was sixth in yards per carry and led the NFL in yards after contact per attempt. Even if you're concerned about Leonard Fournette and the addition of Giovani Bernard, all of those question marks are built into his current price. He's currently being drafted at RB30, yet the former Trojan finished last season as RB16. The addition of Bernard does not likely impact RoJo since he is not used in a pass-catching role and at this stage of Bernard's career, he's not a threat carrying the football. While fantasy managers are unlikely to forget Fournette's dominant playoff run, Jones was still a valuable fantasy asset last season. With his depressed ADP, fantasy managers should be looking to capitalize on RoJo as a guy who is capable of providing RB2 numbers with the upside for even more if Fournette gets hurt. The Buccaneers have one of the best defenses in the NFL and a powerful offensive line. The combination of these two is excellent news for any running back and fantasy football manager looking to invest in such a situation. The current state of affairs may appear muddy, but RoJo's role in this offense is clear and at his current price, fantasy managers shouldn't be shying away.