A.J. Dillon to be utilized 'a lot more' in Packers offense
Green Bay Packers running back A.J. Dillon will be leaned on "a lot more this year," according to running backs coach Ben Sirmans.
Dillon had more than five carries in a game just once last season, when he rushed 21 times for 124 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The second-round pick was also targeted just three times in 13 games, including the postseason. Any larger role for Dillon will likely come on early downs, resulting in fewer carries for Aaron Jones. “He’s a lot more familiar with the offense, and definitely more familiar with his surroundings, both physically and mentally. And he also sees the opportunity that he has in front of him,” Sirmans said of Dillon. “I think a lot of times, that’s enough to really add an extra spark to a guy and how he goes about his business. He’s really excited about the opportunity, and I think that’s the biggest thing that I see with him — that he knows that we’re going to lean on him a lot more this year than we did last year.”
Dillon is currently the RB39 in numberFire's preseason fantasy rankings and our models project him for 146.5 carries, 620.4 yards, and 4.4 touchdowns next season. Jones (RB13) is projected for 266.7 attempts. Dillon added the most Rushing Net Expected Points per carry among all running backs with at least 25 carries last season.
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