Game day update: Tom Pelissero is reporting Jones is expected to play on Thursday, but “the team will be careful with [his] workload.”
The Green Bay Packers host the Detroit Lions this week on Thursday Night Football to open Week 4. The Packers are a 1.5-point underdog heading into game day at DraftKings Sportsbook, but they’re expecting to have a key playmaker available on Thursday.
Running back Aaron Jones is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury, but Romeo Doubs more or less let the cat out of the bag that Jones would be playing on Thursday. Jones has been listed as limited all week, although the Monday and Tuesday practices were walkthroughs, so the limited designation was an estimation.
Betting and DFS implications for Week 4
A.J. Dillon has been the team’s lead back the past two weeks. In the win over the Saints, he had 11 carries for 33 yards, while Jordan Love led the way with 39 yards on nine carries. The week prior loss to the Falcons, Dillon led with 15 carries for 55 yards. Patrick Taylor and Emanuel Wilson have gotten limited work behind Dillon.
In the season opening blowout of the Bears, Dillon led the team with 13 carries, but only had 19 yards. Jones had 41 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, and added 86 yards and a touchdown on two receptions. Jones’ return is a boon for fantasy football managers, and particularly so for those in PPR leagues. Dillon gets some looks in the passing game, but he’s not productive in that regard like Jones.
From a betting perspective, it doesn’t move the point spread, but it does give the offense a sizable boost as they look to get the outright upset against the Lions. Look for Jones to end up with more overall work than Dillon this time around, but the ground game as a whole will be improved for Love and the Packers offense.