By all accounts, running back Josh Jacobs had a fantastic rookie season and earned Rookie of the Year consideration. In 13 games, Jacobs totaled 1,316 yards and seven touchdowns as he was the team’s workhorse back. However, there are some who believe Jacobs can take his game up a level.
In a recent article by Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus, he listed eight second-year players who could breakout in 2020. Jacobs was mentioned on the list as the site believes he could become an even better receiver in the near future. Take a look at Monson’s thoughts on Jacobs:
(Jacobs) dropped three of his 26 targets and had just a 55.4 receiving grade. But one of the things that made him look special as a prospect was his receiving talent — not just being able to catch passes out of the backfield, but line up as a legitimate wideout and show wideout skills. Jacobs didn’t show any of that in his first year and was split out wide or in the slot on just 20 of his 460 snaps, but he has the ability to be a true do-it-all back with matchup-problem skills as a receiver in his second season.
Jacobs caught just 20 passes in 2019, totaling 166 yards and no touchdowns. Most of the receiving work was left to Jalen Richard, who caught 36 passes for 323 yards. It seems likely that Richard will continue to be a force in the passing game, but if Jacobs can play all 16 games and add a reception per game, it’s not hard to envision him potentially surpassing 2,000 total yards in 2020.
Another thing that will certainly help Jacobs in Year 2 is staying healthy. The former Alabama runner dealt with a shoulder injury that caused him to miss a few games and be limited in a few others. If he can stay healthy for all 16 games, Jacobs should have no problem making the first Pro Bowl of his career.
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