One of the biggest disappointments of the entire 2012 fantasy football season was Jacksonville Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew.
Jones-Drew was a first round pick in every single fantasy draft last summer, but after being placed on the season-ending IR with an extremely painful Lisfranc injury, it is safe to say that his season was an absolute train wreck.
MJD finished with a measly 414 yards on just 86 carries (4.8 yards/carry) last year and missed a total of 10 games. He also scored just two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving) before his injury and was honestly on a short list for Fantasy Bust of the Year.
The nagging injury lasted long into the off-season and the three-time Pro Bowler missed most of the team’s OTAs. The former rushing champion was able to start running last month, though, and he finally received a clear bill of health. He has looked rejuvenated in camp, and the 28-year-old is eager to put his 2012 season behind him.
However, people are still avoiding MJD like the plague this year in fantasy drafts. Those same critics should remember that Jones-Drew is just one year removed from leading the entire NFL with 1,606 rushing yards though. He was a fantasy superstar before his injury and the former UCLA standout still has something left in his legs, so don’t sleep on him.
MJD is currently the 16th ranked running back in ESPN leagues, but I think he should be ranked a little higher than that. Jones-Drew may not be the top-five fantasy back he was a couple years ago, but he has immense value as a number two back.
If Jones-Drew is still available towards the end of the second round, I wouldn’t hesitate to draft him.
Adam McGill is the Senior Fantasy Sports Writer at Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @adammcgill83, like him on Facebook, or add him to you networks on Google here or here.
