When Jamaal Williams joined the Detroit Lions last year, it opened many doors to AJ Dillon. The running back had a big jump in 2022, playing in all 17 games as opposed to only 11 in his rookie year.
In his first year, Dillon had 242 rushing yards and found the end zone twice. His numbers skyrocketed in 2021, rushing for 803 yards and five touchdowns while also starting in two contests. He also scored the team's only touchdown of the postseason in the divisional round loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Green Bay Packers' second-round pick in 2020, Dillon has the chance of increasing his number even more after the team lost Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
With that being said, here is the fantasy outlook for AJ Dillon in the 2022 NFL season.
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AJ Dillon 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook
AJ Dillon became the No. 2 running back for the Packers last year after Williams' departure. He ended up playing in 43% of the offensive snaps and, at only 24-years-old, he has the chance of increasing his role even more.
Without a player of confidence like Adams, Aaron Rodgers might rely a bit more on the running game at least until rookie Christian Watson and second-year Amari Rodgers carve their places in the team's offensive plan. The team's third-round pick in 2021, wideout Rodgers played in 16 games as a rookie, but only had four receptions for 45 yards.
Rodgers himself has also expressed the trust and belief in Dillon.
Aaron Rodgers, unprompted, talks up AJ Dillon:
“I feel like, of all the people we’ve had over the last 3 years, he’s on a shortlist of guys who have improved so drastically… I couldn’t be more proud of 28 and his approach” #Packershttps://t.co/VW4yquv1vS
— Joe Kipp (day 1 christian watson fan) (@joepkipp) August 4, 2022
Because of that, having a player such as Dillon could be a short term solution for Green Bay's offensive scheme. However, he still must face the competition against Aaron Jones. The former Pro Bowler had nearly identical rushing number comparing to Dillon, having 799 yards and four scores. Jones ended up being more present in the passing game, ending the season 52 catches for 391 yards and six touchdowns.
Still, it is good to highlight that Dillon had a big jump in the passing game. As a rookie, he only had two receptions for a total of 21 yards. In 2021 Dillon had 34 for 313 yards, plus adding two touchdowns. If this means something, it might be that Dillon could also have a bigger presence in the air as the Packers still try to find the replacements for the players they lost in free agency.
If Dillon turns out to be a dual-threat offensive weapon, his contributions will likely increase.
Regarding fantasy football, he ended as RB21 in PPR fantasy formats, averaging 10.9 points per game. According to CBS, Dillon had at least 15 PPR points in the four games that Jones played in less than half of the team's offensive snaps. Although Dillon's contributions are better when Jones is not playing much, it is unlikely Green Bay will make the choice of limiting Jones in games.
With everything that happened in the Packers' offseason, Dillon should be an even more important part of the team's future. His sophomore year was already a big improvement, and perhaps giving him more opportunities could be the solution for his development.
Because of all that and the potential increased presence both in the air and on the ground, Dillon should be able to finish as a top 25 running back this upcoming season again. Should he and Jones work well together, the Packers have the chance of going far in the postseason. Fantasy football fans should keep Dillon as a seventh-round selection in most traditional draft formats, at most a late sixth selection behind other running backs. There is still a possibility he outplays his position, but picking him at later rounds could be a safer bet in case better offensive pieces are available earlier.
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