Rashad Jennings: Gauging Jaguars RB's Fantasy Value After Jones-Drew Injury

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew was carted off the field during the team's contest with the Oakland Raiders Sunday courtesy of a foot injury. 

According to the CBS NFL Twitter account, his return is questionable:

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Maurice Jones-Drew being carted off the field, his return is questionable #JACvsOAK

— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) October 21, 2012

 

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Before leaving the game, Jones-Drew only carried the ball twice for six yards to the disdain of fantasy football owners everywhere. On the season, MJD once again has been one of the better fantasy backs despite a lengthy holdout this offseason. 

MJD carried the ball 86 times for 414 yards and one touchdown before the injury. With him potentially out of the picture, his backup, Rashad Jennings, is now in the spotlight as a featured fantasy back. 

Let's examine Jennings' fantasy value with Jones-Drew potentially out of the lineup. 

Short Term

In the next few weeks Jennings is a must for Jones-Drew owners. The Jaguars play the Green Bay Packers in Week 8, but then have a chance to play soft run defenses such as that of the Indianapolis Colts and the Detroit Lions. 

Jennings should thrive receiving the majority of the carries in these matchups if Jones-Drew cannot go. He's a stout back at 6'1 and 228 pounds and has proven in the past that he can carry the load when MJD is limited. 

For owners who now have to cautiously approach MJD's situation, picking up Jennings is a no-brainer in the short term if he is available. 

Long Term

If Jennings is somehow available in fantasy leagues after the MJD holdout fiasco, he won't be much longer. It seemed like only a matter of time before MJD went down with an injury, because historically, running backs who hold out aren't conditioned properly and have issues staying healthy. 

With the Jaguars at 1-4 and at the bottom of the AFC South, the Jaguars will likely be using a heavy dose of running moving forward in an attempt to keep games close and control the clock. Jennings will see heavy usage in these scenarios with MJD out of the picture. 

If and when MJD does return, the Jaguars coaching staff will likely ease him back into the rotation rather than simply handing him the load once again. 

There's also always the potential for Jennings to make MJD replaceable and simply steal his job in his absence. 

Fantasy Value

Jennings' fantasy value is sky-high no matter how serious the injury is to MJD. In 2010 he managed 459 yards and four touchdowns on only 84 carries. Now the primary back, Jennings should be able to surpass those numbers with ease. 

After MJD was carted off, Jennings immediately put together a solid performance with 12 rushes for 27 yards and a touchdown. That production will continue moving forward. 

In all leagues, Jennings is a great add, but especially for Jones-Drew owners. He's a solid flex option in standard leagues and a No. 2 back against certain opponents. 

Jennings will be all the rage this week on the waiver wire and in trade talks. Get a jump-start on the competition by grabbing him now. 

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