RBBC. It's the dirtiest four-letter "word" in fantasy football.
It'a also what we can now expect in Jacksonville after it was announced that the team will sign former Jets runner Chris Ivory. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports the deal is for five years with an average just north of $6 million per year, according to a source informed of the deal.
While the move improves the team's offensive attack, it's a kick in the proverbial groin to the fantasy running back position. That's because Ivory won't be a featured runner like he was in New York last season, when he ran for 1,070 yards and scored eight times while finishing eighth in fantasy points at the position. Instead, he's destined to share the workload with incumbent starter T.J. Yeldon, who also loses any chance to be the unquestioned No. 1 option in the backfield. That scenario will make it tough to trust either back as more than a potential flex starter in 2016.
So ... how will this move affect the Jaguars offense?
Well, it's tough to project a starter right now. Yeldon seems like the better fantasy option because he's more versatile, but he's not going to see a whole lot of scoring opportunities in the red zone. Last season, the Jaguars ran the football just 52 times inside the opponent's 20-yard line, which ranked in the bottom half of the league. On the flip side, the team threw it 96 times in the red zone (second-most). Also, keep in mind that the Jaguars rushed the ball on just 35 percent of their offensive snaps (tied for second-fewest).
That offensive system led to Blake Bortles (QB4), Allen Robinson (WR4) and Allen Hurns (WR14) all having plenty of statistical success at their respective positions. The presence of Ivory could mean a decline in the touchdown production from Bortles, Robinson and Hurns. It's also a dose of reality for your fantasy projections ... Robinson and Hurns are unlikely to duplicate their end-zone visits with Ivory now in the mix.
The Jaguars have opened their wallets in the earliest stages of the NFL's free-agent period, which will no doubt make them a potential sleeper team among NFL pundits. But the addition of Ivory isn't good news for fantasy fans at what is a thin running back position. And if Ivory's presence alters the team's red-zone philosophies from a season ago, well, his presence could also mean a decline in touchdown production from Bortles, Robinson and Hurns.
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Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
