Barkowitz: Lions' Jones finally gets a chance to be a star
MARVIN JONES is an interesting guy, and not only because he is second in the NFL in receiving yards.
MARVIN JONES is an interesting guy, and not only because he is second in the NFL in receiving yards.
Throughout his football life, Jones, 26, has been Robin while others have played Batman. He was alongside A.J. Green in Cincinnati. In college, at Cal, he played with Keenan Allen.
It was even worse at home, where he's never been the No. 1 guy.
When Jones was just about to start his freshman season, his girlfriend Jazmyn told him she was pregnant. Jones was 18 and terrified. He ran to head coach Jeff Tedford, who told Jones that his first step was to call his dad, Marvin Sr.
With his son on the other line and in tears, Marvin Sr. assured him that there would be plenty of sacrifice ahead, but things would be OK.
"Our conversation brought my spirits up," Jones told the Detroit Free Press. "My dad's acceptance was very important. In today's society, you see a lot of people that, once somebody gets pregnant and they're young, their parents don't support them. That's definitely not the case with my family. It was important to have his acceptance."
Jones is forthcoming with this difficult period in his life. He was able to graduate Cal in 3 1/2 years and develop enough as a football player to be drafted - albeit in the fifth round.
He was a blue-chipper coming out of Etiwanda High School in Fontana, Calif., but not when he was through at Cal. He was the 23rd wide receiver taken and the second by the Bengals. That five-year, $40 million contract Jones signed in March with Detroit was hardly a foregone conclusion four years ago.
What was without question was that he would have to share it. Jazmyn, now his wife, was there when he inked the deal. So was Marvin III and the couple's other two sons, Mareon and Murrell.
Jones was brought in to help fill the void left by Calvin Johnson's sudden retirement. It's somewhat ironic, given that Jones once was recruited by then-head coach Chan Gailey to come to Georgia Tech, where he'd have a chance to become the next Calvin Johnson.
On the strength of a monster Week 3, when Jones had 205 yards, he has posted more receiving yards in the first four games of a season (482) than any receiver in Lions history - including Megatron. The only reason Jones isn't leading the entire NFL in receiving yards is because Julio Jones (no relation) is at 488 after putting up 300 against the Panthers last week.
Marvin Jones has traced all of his success and wealth - material and otherwise - to that phone call with his father.
"It definitely changed the way that I viewed life, being a young parent and having that stability (from his parents) and that foundation - the same stability and foundation that I have now," he said.
"So I'm blessed that I had the opportunity to be a young parent and have that foundation and (now) have my wife with me and my kids there . . . It's totally grounded me and made me grow up faster when I was younger. Just to have this moment right now with them, it means the world to me."
Contest of the week
The toughest part of setting this week's rankings was where to put the Falcons, particularly quarterback Matt Ryan.
After steamrolling the Panthers for 503 yards, Ryan now leads the league in passing yards and passer rating, and is tied with Ben Roethlisberger with 11 touchdown throws. The fantasy conundrum is that Ryan is playing in Denver. The defending champs, and that wonderful defense, have given up two TD passes all year and held three of their four opposing quarterbacks to under 200 yards.
So how many yards will Ryan throw for on Sunday? Closest guess to his actual total will earn a Fantasy Football T-shirt. Entries must be in by 3 p.m. Sunday and can be emailed to FantasyFootball@phillynews.com. In case of a tie, one winner will be drawn randomly. Ryan must play for this thing to be valid.
Quote of the week
Eagles receiver Jordan Matthews on Julio Jones' 300-yard game on Sunday.
"When you're that big and that physical and you get rolling, it's hard to stop. It's football. When you put one guy on a dude that's like 240 (pounds), that's going to happen," he said.
But 300 yards?
"Shoot," he continued. "I throw for like 400 with him on Madden, so it didn't surprise me none."
Position watch
Quarterback: ESPN has Tom Brady as its top-ranked fantasy QB this week, while Yahoo has him at No. 2 behind Ben Roethlisberger. The Daily News ranks Brady third behind Aaron Rodgers and Roethlisberger . . . Jameis Winston leads the league with 177 passing attempts. He's next-to-last in passer rating at 72.9. Only Ryan Fitzpatrick (57.6) is worse.
Running back: DeAndre Washington gets a bump in value with Oakland teammate Latavius Murray battling a toe injury. The Chargers, Oakland's opponent this week, have given up eight total touchdowns in four games to opposing RBs . . . Baltimore's Terrance West was the most added free agent in ESPN leagues, even though rookie Kenneth Dixon is lurking. Dixon played at Louisiana Tech with Paul Turner, an Eagles practice squad member who was the unofficial MVP of training camp. Long-term, Dixon is the Ravens' RB to own.
Wide receiver: Rookie Will Fuller (Roman Catholic) has been targeted more than Houston teammate DeAndre Hopkins, who was a consensus fantasy first-round pick. Fuller has 34 targets and 19 catches, while Hopkins has 33 and 17. Jaelen Strong (West Catholic) has just 11 and six for the Texans . . . Quincy Enunwa is a sneaky WR2 if Eric Decker (shoulder) sits again for the Jets. Figure on the Jets needing to throw the ball to stay with the Steelers . . . Those who like to buy low should look at the Bears' Alshon Jeffery, who is coming off his worst game (three catches, 46 yards). Jeffery hasn't scored yet this year, but should see more work after Kevin White's serious leg injury.
Week 5 rankings
Quarterbacks, Team, Opponent
1. Aaron Rodgers, GB vs. NYG
2. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit. vs. NYJ
3. Tom Brady, NE at Cle.
4. Derek Carr, Oak. vs. SD
5. Philip Rivers, SD at Oak.
6. Carson Wentz, Phi.at Det.
7. Matt Ryan, Atl. at Den.
8. Kirk Cousins, Was. at Bal.
9. Andrew Luck, Ind. vs. Chi.
10. Joe Flacco, Bal.vs. Was.
11. Eli Manning, NYG at GB
12. Matthew Stafford, Det.vs. Phi.
Running backs, Team, Opponent
1. Le'Veon Bell, Pit. vs. NYJ
2. Ezekiel Elliott, Dal. vs. Cin.
3. DeMarco Murray, Ten. at Mia.
4. David Johnson, Ari. at SF
5. C.J. Anderson, Den. vs. Atl.
6. Melvin Gordon, SD at Oak.
7. Todd Gurley, LA vs. Buf.
8. Jordan Howard, Chi. at Ind.
9. Carlos Hyde, SFvs. Ari.
10. Isaiah Crowell, Cle. vs. NE
11. LeSean McCoy, Buf. at LA
12. Eddie Lacy, GB vs. NYG
13. Jeremy Hill, Cin. at Dal.
14. Lamar Miller, Hou. at Min.
15. Matt Forte, NYJ at Pit.
16. Devonta Freeman, Atl. at Den.
17. DeAndre Washington, Oak. vs. SD
18. LeGarrette Blount, NE at Cle.
19. Matt Jones, Was. at Bal.
20. Frank Gore, Ind.vs. Chi.
21. Ryan Mathews, Phi. at Det.
22. Jerick McKinnon, Min. vs. Hou.
23. Jay Ajayi, Mia. vs. Ten.
24. DeAngelo Williams, Pit. vs. NYJ
25. Theo Riddick, Det.vs. Phi.
Wide receivers, Team, Opponent
1. Antonio Brown, Pit. vs. NYJ
2. A.J. Green, Cin. at Dal.
3. Julio Jones, Atl. at Den.
4. Jordy Nelson, GB vs. NYG
5. Brandon Marshall, NYJ at Pit.
6. Odell Beckham, NYG at GB
7. D. Thomas, Den. vs. Atl.
8. T.Y. Hilton, Ind. vs. Chi.
9. Mike Evans, TB at Car.
10. Alshon Jeffery, Chi. at Ind.
11. Marvin Jones, Det. vs. Phi.
12. Jordan Matthews, Phi.at Det.
13. Emmanuel Sanders, Den. vs. Atl.
14. Terrelle Pryor, Cle. vs. NE
15. Travis Benjamin, SD at Oak.
16. Jarvis Landry, Mia. vs. Ten.
17. Larry Fitzgerald, Ari. at SF
18. DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. at Min.
19. Julian Edelman, NE at Cle.
20. Michael Crabtree, Oak. vs. SD
21. Stefon Diggs, Min. vs. Hou.
22. Kelvin Benjamin, Car. vs. TB
23. Randall Cobb, GB vs. NYG
24. Steve Smith, Bal. vs. Was.
25. Will Fuller, Hou. at Min.
Tight ends, Team, Opponent
1. Jordan Reed, Was. at Bal.
2. Greg Olsen, Car. vs. TB
3. Kyle Rudolph, Min.vs. Hou.
4. Rob Gronkowski, NE at Cle.
5. Zach Ertz, Phi. at Det.
6. Martellus Bennett, NE at Cle.
7. Dennis Pitta, Bal.vs. Was.
8. Gary Barnidge, Cle. vs. NE
9. Delanie Walker, Ten. at Mia.
10. Jason Witten, Dal.vs. Cin.
11. Virgil Green, Den. vs. Atl.
12. Zach Miller, Chi. at Ind.
DFS sleepers
Quarterbacks: Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton
Running backs: DeAndre Washington, Darren Sproles
Wide receivers: Sterling Shepard, Sammie Coates
Tight ends: Cameron Brate, Richard Rodgers
@EdBarkowitz