Buy Or Sell: Maurice Jones-Drew
One of the most intriguing fantasy football players heading into 2013 is Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars. A standout for several seasons, 2012 was a struggle for the running back. It all started with a contract dispute during the offseason, and it ended with a foot injury that led to the worst numbers of his career.
As frustrating as it was to own him last season, things could be a bit better in 2013. The question is, how much of a risk should owners take when trying to nab Jones-Drew for their fantasy football team?
Jacksonville is still at least a year or two away from competing, and their lack of a true franchise quarterback means that Jones-Drew will continue to get plenty of touches. He will be fully healthy heading into the season, and he will not be forced to miss any time while a contract is being figured out. At 28 years old, he is still two years away from hitting that dreaded wall that every running back fears.
Health is by far the biggest concern, and although he has been cleared, head coach Gus Bradley has already stated that his camp and preseason workload will be limited. This appears to be more of a precautionary measure than anything, because Jones-Drew figures to be the team’s go-to weapon.
The days of domination for Jones-Drew might be over, but he has dropped out of the top 15 among running backs in many mock drafts heading into 2013. There are a lot of younger, up and coming talented ball carriers in the NFL, but one off season should not scare off owners. If you can nab him in the second round of your draft or even later, he is definitely worth the gamble. It is probably a bit of a reach to take him in the first round, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he has a top 10 fantasy season once again. He’s a definite buy this season as it stands.
