#MCM - Matt Jones, RB, Washington Redskins
-Jagibbs_23 September 21
I promise I'm not jumping on the bandwagon here, I've had a man crush on Matt Jones for a really long time. I fell in love with his combination of talent and situation back in May when I began research for my upcoming dynasty league draft. I have known for quite some time that he is the most physically talented back Washington has. I was pretty sure that Washington was going to let Alfred Morris walk this offseason and make Jones their featured back in 2016. I didn't expect him to be relevant this year though, which is why I didn't want to waste a #MCM on him, as they are geared towards guys that are relevant to season-long players. But, like Brandon Coleman (also on my dynasty team), Jones has forced my hand with his play, and I have to make him my #MCM this week. I just had to let you know that, because when you're reading this, you probably would have thought "Yeah Matt Jones, he just went for 146 yards. You're a little late to the party bud." But really, I'm not! In fact, I'm early to the party, you guys were like 5 months late!
Anyway, let's get to exactly why I have such a man crush on this guy. Washington's third-round pick doesn't jump off the page athletically, running a 4.6, but he is just another example that combine speed isn't always telling of a players on-field speed. Jones showed off his wheels on this 39 yard TD run against the Rams:
Anyway, let's get to exactly why I have such a man crush on this guy. Washington's third-round pick doesn't jump off the page athletically, running a 4.6, but he is just another example that combine speed isn't always telling of a players on-field speed. Jones showed off his wheels on this 39 yard TD run against the Rams:
I don't care if he ran a 4.6 at the combine, the dude is 6'2" 231 and explosive. Here's another run showcasing his explosiveness:
Jones also runs with power, and is hard to bring down at 231. Many compared him to Marshawn Lynch this preseason. Watch his 3 yard TD run here:
Jones runs with such ferocity that Redskins GM Scot McCloughan said he reminds him of Marshawn Lynch, from his time in Seattle. When a GM spends a third round pick on a player and then compares him to one of the best RB in the NFL, you might want to take notice. This isn't like David Johnson in Arizona (Another of my man crushes, but unfortunately @FF_Savant got him in the dynasty league before I could). The Redskins' coaches haven't shown any inclination to handle Jones with kid-gloves. They realize how talented he is, and they showed last week that if he gets hot, they're willing to ride him.
I don't expect the Redskins to trade Alfred Morris, and Morris has yet to miss a game in his NFL career, so Jones' value this year is going to be capped to some extent. But Jones can definitely be used in a complimentary role to Morris, and with the amount of running this team plans to do, both could be viable options this year. One thing that Jones has that sets him apart from Morris is he's a capable receiving back. His ability on third downs has been talked up leading into the regular season, and he put that on display to an extent in week two, with 3 catches for 23 yards.
If the situation stays how it is now, Jones is nothing more than a flex play with upside. If something were to happen to clear playing time for the talented young RB though, Jones has high end RB2 ability. Through two games he has 174 yards and two TD, and is averaging 6.2 yards per touch. Those numbers are not a fluke, this preseason he showed off his explosiveness as well, averaging 7.59 yards per touch over 3 games. Jones is an elite talent, playing for an offense that loves to run the ball, (37 rushing attempts in both of the first two games) and running behind an excellent offensive line. Get him if you still can!
If the situation stays how it is now, Jones is nothing more than a flex play with upside. If something were to happen to clear playing time for the talented young RB though, Jones has high end RB2 ability. Through two games he has 174 yards and two TD, and is averaging 6.2 yards per touch. Those numbers are not a fluke, this preseason he showed off his explosiveness as well, averaging 7.59 yards per touch over 3 games. Jones is an elite talent, playing for an offense that loves to run the ball, (37 rushing attempts in both of the first two games) and running behind an excellent offensive line. Get him if you still can!