Felix Jones

In five years in Dallas the speedy Jones could never live up to his first-round draft status, producing just 15 total touchdowns and never once exceeding 800 rushing yards in a season. Now he's in the Steelers' backfield mix, in the wake of Jonathan Dwyer's release.

After a fantastic training camp that had buzz of Jones breaking out last season, he ran for just 575 yards over 12 games and was outplayed by rookie DeMarco Murray. Over the last three years, Jones has scored six touchdowns in 42 games, and while last season’s 3.0 YPC mark after contact was an elite number, he’s made it clear he works best as a change-of-pace back, not a lead runner. Jones enters 2012 behind Murray on the depth chart, but the latter is unproven and coming off a broken ankle. If the opportunity presents itself, Jones could be a difference maker while playing in a potent Dallas offense, especially now that expectations have been drastically lowered. Jones had surgery after the season to repair a separated shoulder but is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

Jones was finally given a chance to lead the Cowboys in carries last season, but the end result was disappointing, as his YPC dropped to 4.3, and he recorded just two touchdowns. He bulked up in anticipation of a bigger workload, and it may have sapped some of his explosion, so a return to his old playing weight may result in more big plays in 2011. Still, he’s an injury risk who rarely sees action at the goal line (he’s just 1-for-6 there over the past two years) and likely to be a part of a timeshare again. Marion Barber’s exit seems like a plus on the surface, and it was nice to see Jones get more involved as a receiver last season, but don’t be surprised if Tashard Choice and rookie DeMarco Murray are both also heavily involved in the offense.

Jones once again battled injuries last season while also remaining highly productive with the football in his hands — his 5.9 YPC mark led the NFL. Jones averaged just 7.7 carries over the first 10 games, but if you count the playoffs, he was given an average of 13.2 rushing attempts over the final six contests. That’s hardly workhorse type stuff, but it’s clear Dallas wants to get him more involved in the offense, as he was officially moved atop the Cowboys’ RB depth chart during the offseason. While his passcatching skills are still developing, an increase in receptions down the stretch last year is big news for his future value. Jones is without a doubt one of the most explosive runners in the NFL, and it would be exciting to see what someone with a career 6.5 YPC mark could do given 20 touches a game. Considering he’s now the starter and plays for a team with one of the best offenses in football that’s added Dez Bryant to the mix, Jones offers plenty of upside. However, there are a few negatives. For one, he’s proven to be quite brittle, having missed a total of 12 games over his first two years in the league despite given limited work. Moreover, Jones saw zero goal-line carries last season — 91 running backs were given at least one carry there. The team is down on Marion Barber, but there’s little doubt he’ll remain the preferred option in short-yardage situations. Jones is a threat to score anytime he touches the ball at any point on the field, but without those easy scores, his ceiling is somewhat limited.

Jones only had 30 carries before going down with a season-ending toe injury last year but rushed for 266 yards in the limited work. Going back to his college days, he’s averaged an incredible 7.8 YPC over 416 rushing attempts. That type of production is hardly sustainable, but it also reveals one of the most explosive backs in football. Jones isn’t an every down back, but he can offer more as a receiver than he showed last year, and there’s some talk of him starting in 2009 while Marion Barber returns to his “closer” role. With Terrell Owens jettisoned, Dallas may transition into a more run-oriented team, and with Tony Romo around, the offense should remain prolific. Even if he isn’t named the starter, Jones figures to see a big increase in touches during his second year in the league. Although his touchdown potential is limited without goal-line work, Jones is the type of draft pick who could win your league for you.

A threat to score from anywhere on the field, Jones averaged an amazing 8.7 YPC last season en route to 1,162 rushing yards and 11 scores, and the Cowboys nabbed him with the 22nd overall pick. Many of his big plays at Arkansas came on gadgetry and gimmicks, so it remains to be seen how his game translates to a pro system. His speed does make him a nice complement to starter Marion Barber, and he'll contribute on special teams immediately, but he hasn't displayed great skills as a receiver or blocker, so a change-of-pace role is about all he can offer in 2008. However, because he wound up on Dallas' high-powered offense, Jones makes for an intriguing late-round flier.