The New Orleans Saints turned to Tony Jones Jr. to shoulder the load against the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football when Jamaal Williams exited the game with a leg injury.
With Alvin Kamara set to return from his suspension in Week 4 and rookie running back Kendre Miller potentially making his NFL debut in Week 3, how aggressively should you go after Jones on the fantasy football waiver wire? Let’s take a closer look.
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Should Tony Jones Jr. Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 3?
Let’s start by acknowledging the admirable job Jones did filling in for Williams once the latter exited the game prematurely with an injury.
Sure, his efficiency wasn’t great, but he did manage to find the end zone twice in a game where points were at a premium.
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However, while Jones certainly did his part during the team’s 20-17 win over the Panthers on Monday Night Football, his 34 rushing yards on 12 carries certainly leaves the door wide open for another back — or even Taysom Hill — to take significant work away from Jones as soon as this upcoming week.
Hill finished the game as the team’s leading rusher with 64 yards on just eight carries. He could factor into the running game in a similar fashion if Miller doesn’t appear in his first NFL game in Week 3.
Miller is a talented early-down running back prospect from TCU who the team invested third-round draft capital in during the 2023 NFL Draft. If Miller is healthy enough to go this week, don’t be surprised if the organization wants to give the kid an expanded role with Williams dealing with an injury and Kamara out of the lineup for one more week.
Even if Miller is inactive for a third straight week to start the season, Jones’ fantasy value will undoubtedly plummet once Kamara returns to the team.
Feel free to throw a dart at Jones on the waiver wire, but understand that there is a high likelihood that this will be a one-week rental at the RB position.
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