Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
After being injured early on in the season, Steven Jackson returned to the Atlanta Falcons’ lineup in week eight only to disappoint his fantasy owners in a big way. What should his owners do at this point in the season when things are getting a bit more dire in terms of a playoff picture beginning to form?
That’s a tough question at the moment.
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Jackson rushed 11 times for just six yards in week eight. He also caught three passes for just seven yards. With a grand total of 1.8 fantasy points in standard leagues, I can tell you first hand how much he hurt his fantasy owners this week. Personally, I wound up losing by 15 points due to his and Marques Colston’s performances — and I faced Calvin Johnson this week.
Needless to say, Jackson was a costly start this week.
So, should you hold steady and continue starting Jackson as a RB3 or Flex play each week? Or, would it be worth it to trade him away for someone like a Daryl Richardson, Joique Bell or even Willis McGahee who could present some value down the stretch this season? In leagues with 10 teams or less, could one even consider dropping him?
First of all, allow me to say that if you dropped Jackson in any league with more than eight teams, that’d be a mistake. But, in terms of a trade, if you can find someone to bite on Jackson for a potential RB3 or Flex play, go for it. Right now I would even try packaging Jackson with someone else for a solid Flex play — that is, assuming you can package the right deal together without sacrificing a starter.
Jackson doesn’t present a lot of guaranteed value for the rest of the season. Teams know that Julio Jones is out for the year, which takes away a big part of the offense. Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling have been formidable backs filling in for Jackson, but the Falcons overall are just a mess. Jackson’s value at this point is really a mystery.
Final word: Jackson is a huge disappointment this season. If you can find even a halfway decent deal for him, trade him right now. Cut your losses and don’t risk a repeat performance of week eight.
Ryan Heckman is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanmheckman, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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