Jets Running Back Fantasy Football Outlook: Breece Hall vs. Dalvin Cook
The New York Jets were one of the biggest talking points of the NFL offseason after a multitude of moves revamped their roster, especially on the offensive side. The biggest acquisition was, of course, trading for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but several offensive positions saw new players added into the mix.
The running back position was one of those spots, as the Jest signed former Minnesota Vikings star Dalvin Cook to a deal in mid-August. It boosts a room that already featured a young budding star in Breece Hall.
Our ADP tool has both players among the top 25 running backs in the league and being drafted in the first six rounds of most fantasy drafts. Will the duo split touches this year, or will one serve a more complementary role? Will the team run enough with Rodgers at the helm to warrant drafting either running back? Let’s get to the bottom of it.
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Breece Hall Fantasy Football Outlook
Hall was enjoying a fine rookie season, and was in the hunt for Offensive Rookie of the Year, before tearing his ACL in Week 7. Despite not playing the rest of the season, Hall still ended up leading the team with 463 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He also collected 19 receptions, 218 yards and a touchdown as a receiver.
Hall recently was activated off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, ironically a day after the team signed Cook. The question for any young promising back coming off a knee injury is just how willing their franchise is to give them a full workload again, and I think the signing of Cook signals that the Jets are likely to play it cautiously and split the workload, at least in the early going.
What does that mean for Hall and his fantasy outlook? It drops him to the 15th overall running back taken and makes him available quite a bit later in the draft than he otherwise would be. He’s not a guy you should be penciling in as your No. 1 back, but having Hall be your No. 2 or No. 3 guy is a pretty solid option.
Dalvin Cook Fantasy Football Outlook
Cook has been one of the better backs in the NFL, with four straight seasons of 1,000+ rushing yards, although his touchdown production dwindled to 14 total over the last two years after 13 touchdowns in 2019 and 16 more in 2020. He’s also a serviceable receiving back, with 30+ receptions in each of the past five years. One negative from an otherwise strong and healthy 2022 in Minnesota was his four fumbles.
It was surprising to see the Vikings cut him loose, as he was a proven and reliable starter in the league for years. On many other teams, he’d be the starter, but on the Jets, he will be splitting reps.
There’s an argument that Cook is the top backup in the entire league, and with Hall coming off his injury, a lot of fantasy managers are taking a flier on Cook. At worst, you have a strong third or fourth back that can start when other players are on byes. Cook could also be one of the highest-scoring backs in the league, especially early on as Hall slowly works back into things.
Who Should You Draft?
This is one of the tougher running back situations in the league to dissect, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid both guys. In fact, I’d suggest that if you land Hall in the early part of the draft to make it a priority to nab Cook later on.
With Rodgers at quarterback and Nathaniel Hackett serving as the offensive coordinator in Green Bay, the Packers' offense was at its best when the running game was involved. Even better, the Packers had two running backs that they were able to incorporate into things and get a good amount of touches each. That’s what could happen this season with Hall and Cook, and it could mean you are starting both of these guys as the fantasy season winds down.
In terms of getting Hall and Cook for the right price, both are probably going a touch earlier than I’d personally like. But if you are able to draft a back in Round 1 Hall in Round 3 and Cook in the fifth, that leaves you a couple of picks to start addressing your quarterback, wide receiver and tight end spots, while still having ample opportunities to add quality players after Round 5 at those positions. That's a roster I could get behind, and be pretty confident with in terms of consistent production. There's a chance a rushing touchdown or two for the duo is taken away because of Rodgers, but his play at quarterback should also open some running lanes for either back.
