Steven Jackson has been an impressive workhorse since joining the NFL in 2004. In his nine years of service, all with the St. Louis Rams, Jackson has rushed for an incredible 10,135 yards and 56 touchdowns while only missing 13 out of a possible 144 regular-season games. Now that Jackson has parted ways with the Rams, will he find continued success with the Super Bowl-contending Atlanta Falcons, and how long will he be able to sustain it if he does? Keep reading to find out.
2012 Stats | Att | Yds | TD's | Rec | Yds | TD's | RB Rank | PPG |
| 257 | 1,042 | 4 | 38 | 321 | 0 | 16th | 10.14 |
2013 Outlook
Jackson spent nine full seasons as the primary, or only weapon on the Rams’ offense, playing behind terrible offensive lines and with eight defenders constantly stacked in the box against him. Yet despite these severe limitations, he finished in the top 12 among fantasy running backs five years and only finished outside the top 20 once, in his rookie season.
Now that Jackson has moved on to a highly talented team, with a decent offensive line, reliable quarterback and three top-tier receiving threats, things will be much easier for him. Teams will no longer be able to stack the box anticipating the run, and he will find much bigger holes on draw plays, as linebackers drop back into coverage. The fact that Jackson will now be a compliment to the passing game, instead of the focal point of the offense, will also play a huge factor in keep him fresh and injury free. The writing is all over the wall for Jackson to finish the season in the top 10 in both standard and PPR scoring leagues.
Dynasty Outlook
Jackson is a great fantasy option for 2013, but at 30 years old and with nearly 2,400 carries and over 13,000 all-purpose yards already on his resume, you have to be realistic about the breakdown occurring in the very near future. Jackson is significantly less valuable in dynasty than he is in redraft, but he still has his worth. If you can stock up on future studs like Marcus Lattimore who won’t make an impact until 2014 or beyond, you can just ride Jackson’s production into the sunset easily, knowing that you have a dependable replacement when the time comes.
2013 Statistical Projections: 1,100 rushing yards, 40 receptions, 325 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns.