Aaron Jones Sr. or Harold Fannin Jr.: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 2 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Jones has the better runway; Fannin has the safer role

Jones gets the cleaner game environment: Minnesota's higher implied total and veteran lead-back profile give his touchdown path more room, even with a middling matchup. Fannin's TE1 role is materially stronger—his heavy deployment and receiving-target status, reinforced by [SI.com/Onsi 2026-09-11], give him a sturdier volume foundation. But Cleveland's lower scoring expectation and the softer Tampa matchup do not fully erase that concern, making the projected gap less meaningful across positions: Jones is a committee-dependent flex, while Fannin needs efficiency to turn his role into a ceiling game.

What flips it: A confirmed expansion of Jones' passing-game role.

Sources: SI.com/Onsi · Sep 11, 2026

AI editor

In standard scoring this flips to Jones.

Aaron Jones Sr.

Aaron Jones Sr.

RB35MINvs CHI

Projected Points

Toss-Up· medium
Harold Fannin Jr.

Harold Fannin Jr.

TE5CLEvs TB

Projected Points

Sit

Aaron Jones Sr.’s market

RUSH YDS
O/U 53.5
-113 / -113
Rushing Yards Props →
REC
O/U 2.5
-128 / +100
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 15.5
-113 / -113
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
-135
Anytime Touchdown Props →

Harold Fannin Jr.’s market

REC
O/U 3.5
-149 / +117
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 33.5
-114 / -110
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+370
Anytime Touchdown Props →
MIN@
CHISun, Sep 20, 1:00 PM ETView the game →
CLE@
TBSun, Sep 20, 1:00 PM ETView the game →

Why Aaron Jones Sr.

Toss-Up· medium

RB1 and veteran lead back. Balanced runner with reliable receiving chops, though workload now shared.

14.1 projected points look startable, but a 46% snap share, 4% target share and RB35 consensus rank scream committee — flex-only in 12-team PPR.

  • His balanced rushing and receiving profile can turn a modest team total into a usable flex outcome.
  • The primary risk is committee usage erasing his advantage before volume builds.

The call

  • The model's 14.1 PPR projection is RB2-caliber, but consensus has him at RB35 — that gap is a red flag, not a green light, and it traces back to usage.
  • A 46% snap share and 4% target share point to a true committee role with almost no passing-game floor, which is where PPR value lives.
  • Matchup and script are neutral: Chicago grades 18 of 32 vs the position on a 1-game sample with 0.00 confidence, and a 21.0 implied total with a 3.5-point spread gives no strong tailwind either way.
  • What tips it: if the snap share climbs toward 60% or he takes over third-down work, he's a clear flex start; if it stays under 50% with no targets, sit him for a back with locked-in volume.

Latest on Jones

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Why Harold Fannin Jr.

Sit

TE1 and high-volume receiving target. Move tight end and mismatch chess piece with YAC ability.

Sit — TE5 consensus, projects TE13 this week: TB is the 7th-softest matchup vs TEs, 18.5 implied team total caps the ceiling.

  • His move-TE versatility and YAC ability create spike-game paths beyond simple target volume.
  • The primary risk is Cleveland's scoring environment forcing efficiency to carry the matchup.

Latest on Fannin

Role

Harold Fannin Jr. is considered the clear No. 1 receiving option in Cleveland's passing game entering the season, ahead of Jerry Jeudy and Isaiah Bond, and is expected to become Deshaun Watson's top target after building strong offseason chemistry.

SI.com/Onsi · Sep 11, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricAaron Jones Sr.Harold Fannin Jr.
Projected points
Consensus rankRB35TE5
Opponent vs positionCHI · 18 of 321-game sampleTB · 26 of 321-game sample
Rushing Yards16 of 32—
Rushing TDs15 of 32—
Rushing Attempts11 of 32—
Receptions12 of 3230 of 32
Receiving Yards31 of 3230 of 32
Anytime TD22 of 3220 of 32
Receiving TDs—21 of 32
Targets—30 of 32
Target share4%14%
Reception share0%13%
Implied total · spread21.0+3.518.5+5.5
Depth chartRB1TE1
Snap share46%82%
Start/Sit record0–0+2 toss-ups—

Recent form

Aaron Jones Sr. — last 1 week

Week 1vs GB

Harold Fannin Jr. — last 1 week

Week 1vs JAX

Signal breakdown

  • 14.1 vs 10.0 projected PPR pointsAaron Jones Sr. +
  • Rank 35 vs 5Harold Fannin Jr. +
  • Opponent DvP rank 18 vs 26 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 21.0 vs 18.5 team pointsAaron Jones Sr. +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 46% vs 82% snap shareHarold Fannin Jr. +

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