Fantasy Alert: Vikings' Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler to Split RB Snaps as '1A' and '1B'

Fantasy managers intrigued by the Minnesota Vikings' addition of Aaron Jones should know he won't necessarily be a bell-cow back in the offense.

Per ESPN's Dan Graziano, the Vikings believe Jones has "always been at his best" playing with a complementary back and the expectation is that he and Ty Chandler will operate as a "1A" and "1B" duo.

Graziano noted the expectation based on what he saw from attending two days of training camp earlier this month is the Vikings will look to get Jones between 15-18 touches per game, but that number could go over 20 depending on the game plan.

That volume wouldn't be very different than what Jones had with the Green Bay Packers. He averaged 12.1 carries and 2.8 receptions per game in 97 appearances over the past seven seasons.

Jones only averaged more than 17 touches per game twice, in 2019 (17.9) and 2020 (17.8). It's also in the Vikings' best interest to keep an eye on his workload because he is at an age when running backs can be more susceptible to injuries.

A hamstring injury plagued Jones throughout the 2023 season. He missed six games, had fewer than 10 rushing attempts in each of his first four games and five of his first seven games played.

When Jones returned to the lineup in Week 15 after a three-game absence, he appeared to be at full strength for the first time all season. He had at least 18 carries and ran for more than 100 yards in each of his last five games, including the playoffs.

A fifth-round draft pick in 2022, Chandler carved out a big role in the offense after being inserted into the starting lineup late last season. He averaged 15.3 touches, 81.8 total yards and scored two total touchdowns over the final four weeks.

Per FantasyPros, Jones is currently being selected as the No. 18 running back with an average draft position of 57.0. Chandler is the 46th running back with an ADP of 137.0.

If you're a fantasy manager looking for a running-back battery to bet that you could build later in the draft to focus on other positions early, the Vikings duo of Jones and Chandler is an intriguing option.