Velus Jones Jr. has been the butt of many jokes ever since he was drafted in 2022. While he has only been in the league for a couple of years, he is already 27 years old. Many panned the Chicago Bears for picking him in the top 100. His career hasn’t gotten off to a good start, either. He has struggled to show any kind of consistent production, even with many opportunities on the field. However, the new kickoff rules provide an intriguing wrinkle for players like Jones Jr. Could the kickoff rules resurrect his value?
Velus Jones Jr. 2023 Stats And Fantasy Production
Velus Jones Jr. did not see the field much as a wide receiver in 2023. He only caught four passes for 20 yards on the year. Amazingly, he rushed for 51 yards on eight attempts with four of them ending in a first down. His biggest impact was on special teams. The former Tennessee Volunteer returned 16 kicks for 435 yards, which is a healthy average of 27.2 yards per return.
Even with that impact, he wasn’t fantasy-relevant in 2023. He didn’t find the endzone at all, and managers would pray to whatever god they believed in. Velus Jones Jr. would get a random touchdown in the limited playing time he had.
Velus Jones Jr. 2024 Fantasy Outlook
If you’re an optimist, Velus Jones Jr.’s value goes up because of the new kickoff rules. He likely won’t see the field on offense. Between DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift, and Khalil Herbert, the only way he sees the field is if injuries pile up. However, the new kickoff rules mean more opportunities for kickoff yards. The Bear’s special teams coach has already pointed out that the third-year player is primed for a leap.
“A guy like that, with his type of skill set, with the speed and the power that he has, and he’s coming full speed ahead at you, it’s like a damn freight train running at you. And he’s gonna get an opportunity to touch the ball three or four more times a game.”
It is still very much boom or bust but the NFL is trying to incentivize teams to return kicks. Returners are going to get a longer runway to build up speed. This could benefit a player like Velus Jones Jr. If your league counts kick return yards, he could be a low-end flex start on a week-to-week basis. It will be all about watching the matchups to see when the Bears take on weak kickoff coverage teams.
Final Thoughts
If you are in a 12-team league, you don’t need Velus Jones Jr. There are plenty of other players with upside. However, for deeper leagues, he might be a player worth giving a look. If he returns two kicks for touchdowns next year, that could be the difference in you winning a week or losing a week. He is the definition of a boom-or-bust candidate. If there aren’t many kickoff returns, he’s going to lay a goose egg. In a high-scoring affair, he could score some decent points.
The thing to check is whether your league counts kickoff yards. If it doesn’t, avoid this player at all costs. However, if they do, the third-year player could be an intriguing pick in the later rounds. He isn’t a must draft but if you predict it right, you could look like a genius.
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