The Vikings escaped with an ugly win in Jacksonville in Week 10, and they lost RB Aaron Jones ($6,900; ribs) for part of that game to an injury to his chest and ribs area. While Jones was out, Cam Akers ($4,600) stepped in and put together a solid showing. He seems firmly entrenched as the team’s backup running back, but if Jones is out, will Akers be a must-start vs. the Titans? Let’s take a look.
The latest on Aaron Jones’ status
On Monday, coach Kevin O’Connell said he expected that Jones would be limited in practice this week but would play in Week 11 in Tennessee.
On Wednesday, O’Connell had this update:
#Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell says Aaron Jones feels good but will be limited in practice today. Cam Robinson has a foot injury and will be limited, but it doesn’t sound serious. @FOX9 pic.twitter.com/KYtthIzgzw
— Jeff Wald (@JeffWaldFox9) November 13, 2024
It seems like Jones is on track to play, but there’s still a long way to go before the final injury report. If he’s out, Akers will have upside in a good offense.
Cam Akers’ potential if Aaron Jones is out
Last week, Cam Akers ($4,600) stepped up as the fill-in running back. He ended up with 13 carries for just 38 yards and added a nine-yard catch. While those averages definitely aren’t anything amazing, it was clear that he’s the main option the Vikings will go to if Jones is out or limited.
Earlier this season, Akers had 12.7 fantasy points in Week 5 for the Texans and took 13 carries for 53 yards in Week 4. The Vikings acquired him at the trade deadline as a backup plan if Jones gets hurt and as a change-of-pace option while Jones is healthy.
Akers doesn’t have quite as much sizzle as he did earlier in his career with the Rams, but if he starts and gets most of the work, he’s still a solid option in the Vikings’ backfield.
The Bottom Line
The Vikings are six-point road favorites against the Titans, and Jones has the shortest odds on the board at -110 to score a touchdown. Right now, Akers is at +320 to score a touchdown, although that number will surely come way down if he starts.
If Jones is available, he’s a solid RB2 despite his recent disappointing production. Akers will be hard to use if Jones plays, but if Jones is out, he’d definitely be in conversation as a flex play and as a good value option under $5K in DFS contests like the NFL $2.5M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st].
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