Ronald Jones II - Is It Time to Panic?

During the 2018 NFL Draft, USC running back Ronald Jones II was drafted 38^th overall by Tampa Bay. The assumption was that he would be their running back of the future and an immediate force in the backfield. Then the preseason happened.

Unfortunate owners who drafted earlier in August and spent a mid-round pick on him are now feeling left out to dry. Everything seemed rosy for RoJo owners before the preseason and maybe after week one. The Buccaneers improved their offensive line over the summer by signing former Raven Ryan Jensen, drafting Senior Bowl standout Alex Cappa and moving stud interior lineman Ali Marpet back to his natural guard position. They were already loaded with receiving talent with Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Chris Godwin, O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate.

With all of this and former first-overall pick Jameis Winston under center, a skilled running back was primed to eat in Tampa this year. Sadly, given what we’ve seen and heard so far from the Buccaneers this preseason, Ronald Jones II will not start out as that guy. But is it too soon to give up on him completely before the season truly begins?

Why the Rush to Concern for a Rookie?

Ronald Jones II has been invisible for most of the time he’s been on the field during the preseason. He has rushed 28 times for just 22 yards and one touchdown. Fewer than one yard per carry is not winning anyone a starting job in the NFL. For a running back who was typically getting drafted in the top-80 of most leagues, Jones II has not helped his draft stock one bit.

More importantly, Jones II has been outshined by incumbent tailback Peyton Barber. Barber has been given fewer carries thus far in preseason and has outplayed Jones II and the rest of the backfield. With 87 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries, Barber has earned the starting role for Tampa. The coaching staff decided that he was so valuable that he was be rested in the team’s final preseason game to have him healthy and rested for the season opener against New Orleans. Praise has come down on Barber from inside the Bucs’ organization, and he should be expected to see the majority of carries going forward.

With Charles Sims being placed on injured reserve, even the third-down role was open for the taking. Jones II was not a notable pass-catching back coming out of Southern California. Over the course of 3 full cardinal and gold seasons, RoJo caught just 32 passes. Although his reception total increased each year, he was only relatively solid in his final year. While Jones did have a nice 37-yard catch in the Bucs’ third game against the Lions, he has been lackluster at other times in the passing game, including practice.

On top of his lackluster receiving ability, Jones has been noted in practice to be struggling in pass protection. This may just be him getting comfortable with the playbook, but it is another sign that he might not be ready. It seems as if the role Jones II has carved out for himself as of now is that of a change-of-pace back for Tampa. He will likely split play-time with Jacquizz Rodgers and come in when Barber needs a breather.

Is Ronald Jones II Even Worth Owning Right Now?

Yes. Take a flier on RoJo in the double-digit rounds if you feel like you’re comfortable with the running back group you have (and if he’s available). He provides some upside for your bench at one of the shallower fantasy positions. While preseason can give you a good idea of where some players are with their game, it is not the be-all and end-all of who will perform and who won’t. Jones II is still a rookie who is learning the playbook and that might take some time despite the running back position being one of the simpler ones to play.

Jones II is by no means worth his 8^th round ADP that remains on some draft sites. That is now where his teammate Peyton Barber is going. Barber has the starting role secured to start the year but could lose it in an instant if fumbles become an issue or he underperforms. If you happen to draft Barber and want to handcuff Jones II, that’s fine. It’s typically better off to stray from lower level committees on draft day (especially on lower tier teams), however, it could be beneficial if an owner wants that security.

RoJo has a ton of talent and that should not be clouded by the 2018 preseason. Over the course of his three seasons at USC, he totaled 3619 yards on 591 carries (6.1 yards per carry) and scored 39 touchdowns (19 of which came his senior year). Jones excelled at running between the tackles, even with SC’s shoddy line his last year, and can burst in the second level when he needs to. At 6ft 200lbs, he is, by all means, a back that can handle a full workload. The case just may be that he is not acclimated to the NFL yet, and that’s fine given his rookie status along with the fact that he is still 21 years old.

A notable factor as to why Jones II has struggled thus far may be rooted in personnel. Jones II for sure needs to adjust to the NFL pace but a little boost from the big men up front would not hurt. Peyton Barber has primarily run behind the first and second team offensive line thus far in the preseason, while Jones II has mainly been behind the second and third team. Last season Tampa Bay had one of the worst lines in the league, and even with their offseason improvements, they still lack proper depth. Jones II is a lot better when he is not hit as often as he was behind the line of scrimmage. While not the strongest runner, he has incredible body control and excels at shedding tackles in the second level of the defense (the issue here being that he has to get there first). If RoJo had a little more space to operate, maybe he would look a lot different than he has. Nevertheless, the fault is on him as well, and until he can show any different, every fantasy owner has the right to be skeptical.

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