Packers: 3 bold predictions for A.J. Dillon in 2021
When the Green Bay Packers used their second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, many thought it signaled the end of the Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams era. However, the franchise brought back Jones for the foreseeable future and he’ll pair with the strong second-year back to form a potentially more formidable backfield.
Dillon’s running style compliments Jones’ nicely. He’s a big bruising back with a little bit of wiggle to give him a nice all-around game. He has a lot to prove after barely playing during his rookie season–he had only 46 rushing attempts for 242 yards (a 5.3 yards per carry average) and two rushing touchdowns.
There are reasons for optimism when it comes to Dillon. He ran for 124 yards on 21 carries against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16 and should be ready to carry a bigger load in his sophomore campaign. So, without further ado, here are three bold predictions about Dillon’s 2021 season.
The Green Bay Packers expect a strong second season from running back A.J. Dillon. Let’s make three bold predictions for his 2021 campaign.
A.J. Dillon bold prediction 3. He’ll average at least 3.8 yards after contact per attempt
In his rookie season, Dillon averaged a solid 3.44 yards after contact per attempt according to PFF. To provide some context, Derrick Henry averaged 3.85 (after averaging 4.16 in 2019 and 4.21 in 2018) and Jones averaged a career-high 3.6. Obtaining a 3.8 average will be a challenge for Dillon, but is in his wheelhouse. He’s a big guy who bounces off would-be tacklers and carries smaller defenders with him for extra yardage. The more carries he gets, the more of a groove he’ll get into.
A.J. Dillon bold prediction 2. He’ll catch at least 20 passes
Matt LaFleur loves to work his running backs into the passing game–Jones had 47 receptions last year and Jamaal Williams had 31 after hauling in 39 in 2019. Dillon isn’t quite on the same level as a pass-catcher as those two are–he only had two receptions last year and 21 in his college career. That doesn’t mean he can’t do it and we should expect him to have a bit of a breakout year in this department considering the ample playing time he’s set to receive. Despite his size, Dillon has nimble feet and soft hands. He’ll put those skills to work in 2021 by nabbing at least 20 receptions via dump-offs, screens, and other short routes out of the backfield.
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A.J. Dillon bold prediction 1. He’ll rush for over 600 yards
This may seem ambitious considering he’ll be the clear no. 2 back behind Jones, but it’s more realistic than you think. Williams ran for 505 yards on 119 attempts last season, a 4.2 yards per carry average. If Dillon gets the same number of attempts, he only has to average 5.04 yards per attempt to get to 600 total rushing yards–a very reasonable number considering he averaged 5.3 yards per attempt in his rookie season. LaFleur has proven he likes to keep Jones healthy and fresh by somewhat limiting his playing time. Dillon will have the chance to slide seamlessly into the Williams role and even take it to another level. Expect a good one-two punch at running back for the Packers this season.