Draft or Pass: Green Bay's Aaron Jones Vs. Denver's Melvin Gordon

SI's fantasy and gambling experts Jaime Eisner and Frankie Taddeo discuss two running backs for today's Draft or Pass

Jaime Eisner | May 6, 2020

It's never too early to start your fantasy football research, and we here at SI Fantasy want to provide you with the best information possible heading into your drafts. Our "Draft or Pass" video series takes a closer look at two fantasy players with similar ADPs. Are our hosts targeting one of these players specifically? Are they avoiding one entirely?

Today's video focuses on two premier running backs: the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Jones and Denver Broncos' Melvin Gordon.

Draft at current ADP: Aaron Jones (Pick 17, 2.05)

Jones rushed for a whopping 16 touchdowns last season and added another three in the receiving game as he became a significant part of the Packers' passing offense. I expect some touchdown regression in 2020, as only Derrick Henry and Todd Gurley have rushed for 12 or more scores in each of the last two seasons. However, his role in Green Bay's offense should continue to be huge, and A.J. Dillon isn't a legitimate threat to Jones as a rookie. Fantasy owners saw a true breakout last season.

Pass at current ADP: Melvin Gordon (Pick 21, 2.09)

Since his hold out, not getting on the field until Week 5 then finishing as the RB19 in average fantasy points per game, 2019 was a pretty forgettable season for Gordon. But now he's in Denver and let's not forget the type of talent he is. Here's how he finished among all running backs on a points-per-game basis between 2016-2018: 6th, 6th, 3rd. It feels pretty safe to say that his RB19 mark in 2019 is, or is close to, his floor. However, he'll be sharing a backfield again with Phillip Lindsay, who is also a part of the Broncos' rushing attack. Mile High Huddle's Chad Jensen broke down how Lindsay felt after Denver signed Gordon:

"Lindsay was absolutely taken aback. And the truth is, the Gordon deal hurt him. But because of the quality of character Lindsay has, he quickly found the silver lining."

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Published May 6, 2020

JAIME EISNER