Fantasy Football: 5 bold predictions for Week 17

Bold Prediction #2: Ke’Shawn Vaughn must be in your lineup

Ronald Jones has been a bad start all season long. Leonard Fournette made it pretty clear he was the starter in September, and Jones never did anything of note for the rest of the season. Yet, despite this, there was a mad dash to add Jones on the waiver wire last week after Fournette was lost for the rest of the regular season with an injury.

Last week against the Carolina Panthers, Jones was given the load at running back. He had 20 carries. He had a fine fantasy day. He ran for 65 yards and a touchdown. He added two catches for 16 yards. The only useful play from the running game was a 55-yard touchdown from Ke’Shawn Vaughn. The former third-round pick finished the day with 70 yards on just seven carries and that one touchdown.

It’s clear Bruce Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich had a plan they were sticking to. They wanted Jones to win the job, and he didn’t. Now, it’s clear the best chance to get anything done in the running game is on the back of Ke’Shawn Vaughn.

Arians came out this week and said that Vaughn is a “Lead Dog”. Arians has said things before that have thrown fantasy owners off (he famously called Ronald Jones his starter after a dreadful Week 1 performance). This time, it seems legit. Play Vaughn as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are taking on the New York Jets. Every running back looks great against them.