Aaron Jones vs Michael Carter: Who Should You Start?
Two running backs who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Aaron Jones (Minnesota Vikings) finished the 2025 season averaging 8.7 fantasy points per game in 12 games. Michael Carter (Tennessee Titans) came in at 6.3 PPG over 13 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Aaron Jones carries a 2.4-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Aaron Jones ran for 548 yards and 2 touchdowns; Michael Carter posted 333 and 1. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
Aaron Jones has his bye in Week 6, and Michael Carter rests in Week 5. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at running back for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
