Nothing small about MJD's plans for 2009

Maurice Jones-Drew is tired of hearing whispers. All he wants is respect.

He's received it from Jaguars fans, and he's gotten it from the Fantasy Football community, which probably gave it to him before anyone else outside of Jacksonville did by virtue of his remarkable rookie campaign and his subsequent seasons.

But even as he's on the verge of being Jacksonville's undisputed featured back in 2009, and about to enter a contract year, he insists that the perception of who he is hasn't changed, and neither have the whispers of concern regarding his ability.

For instance, after earning Pop Warner honors as a youngster he heard 'He's too small for high school, it's going to be too fast, there's no weight limit.'

Whether it's been high school, UCLA or so far in Jacksonville, Jones-Drew has been consistent. (US Presswire)

Then after being on a high school team that never lost (48-0 over four seasons for Northern California's De La Salle High School) and earning all-league accolades, Jones-Drew heard it all again. 'Some guys are good in high school, most guys are bad. In college, everybody's going to be good. He can't be an every-down back in college because he's going to take too many hits.'

After going to UCLA and leading the team in rushing as a freshman, sophomore and junior before leaving for the NFL, the whispers got louder. 'He's too small. Can he take the pounding all the time? Can he pass block? These guys he'll be going up against are great.'

Whispers he's heard. Whispers he's still hearing.

"Now I'm about to be what I was in high school and college, a full-time running back, but things don't change," Jones-Drew told CBSSports.com. "People still doubt me."

Yet here are some facts that scream otherwise: He's never missed a game due to injury. He's averaged between 10 and 13 carries and two and four catches per game over his career, and he's always been a touchdown machine, having at least 13 total every season. He's never had less than 1,150 total yards in a single campaign. Virtually no one can touch him when it comes to consistency over his last three seasons.

The only number on his stat sheet that Jones-Drew has consistently struggled with? Games started -- he has just four over 47 games, but that's not going to be the case any longer, as the man who started games in front of Jones-Drew, Fred Taylor, was released by the Jaguars earlier this offseason and has since signed with the Patriots.

Previously, the Jags started Taylor as a running-downs back and Jones-Drew as a passing-downs back. But that began to change in 2008 and we'd see a little more of Jones-Drew on second downs, especially in potential passing situations. Goal-line work almost always went to Jones-Drew, which explains the boatload of scores.

But more work went Jones-Drew's way late last season when Taylor hurt his thumb and missed the final three games. That gave Jones-Drew the starting role by default, and he took it as an audition -- his chance to prove to his coaches that he could be an every-down back.

"Marcellus Wiley told me when I first got into the league, 'Every time you touch the ball is like a commercial, a commercial for your business, which is yourself.'" Jones-Drew said. "That's pretty much how I looked at this chance. Any time I touched the ball, I wanted people to see what I could do and what the Jaguars could do. I think I played 65 to 70 snaps every game, so I showed that I had the endurance and that I could go. I felt great and I tried to make the best out of it."

In those three games, against the Packers, Colts and Ravens (with a sprained knee), Jones-Drew had 217 rush yards, 103 receiving yards and two total touchdowns with two games with 20 or more carries, and he gave up only five carries total to other Jaguars running backs.

That's a glimpse at what Jones-Drew's workload might look like on a weekly basis in 2009, and it certainly suggests that Jones-Drew has rightfully earned the confidence of the Jaguars' coaching staff.

Nothing to whisper about now, is there?

Guess again.

Jones-Drew still doesn't feel vindicated, not by a long shot. A starting job is a step in the right direction, and a contract extension would certainly mean something, but this is a runner with a powerful message, something Fantasy owners can learn from: Size doesn't matter.

Jones-Drew is listed at 5-foot-7 and 208 pounds. Ideal measurements for a running back? Not if you ask veteran position coaches or personnel people who have it drilled into their heads that players must fit a certain physical stereotype at any given position, something Jones-Drew loathes.

"The game has changed. You have different types of players now," he said. "It's not always these big running backs that are 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds. I mean, the receivers aren't even 6-foot-2 anyore. Steve Smith is 5-foot-9. Cornerbacks are smaller, too. It's not about how big you are, it's about who can make plays, period. You could be two feet tall, but if they can't tackle you, give 'em the ball and let 'em run."

Fantasy owners have used this excuse on Jones-Drew before too, only they don't have to whisper. They pass on him in drafts for someone else because he's too short, or because he's not a "pure running back." Some used to pass on him simply because he was on the same team as Taylor, whose presence limited Jones-Drew's production.

"People still doubt me. It happens, but I know they know every time they play against the Jaguars, I'm going to give them everything I got," Jones-Drew said. "If it means blocking D-linemen, I'm going to block them. If I'm running routes or running downfield trying to spring a guy ... that (work) is what I pride myself on and I hope a lot of people watch and use it as inspiration. You don't have to be the biggest guy or fastest guy. As long as you make plays, it doesn't matter."

This is not to say that Jones-Drew is in a perfect situation, because he's not. The biggest concern facing him is the make-up of his offensive line, an issue that became a huge problem last season.

"To have two (guards) go down, which is pretty much how we run the ball, behind our guards and center, wasn't good," Jones-Drew lamented. "For most of the season, our only starters were our tackles and we were plugging in guys off the street. Half the time, we didn't even know the guy's name. They'd bring him in on Tuesday and he'd be starting on Sunday.

"So we thought if we kept a steady pace, things would be all right. But with one loss here and one loss there, things started going downhill. ... The things we were (successful) with earlier in the year weren't working anymore."

Already this offseason the Jaguars have re-signed center Brad Meester but appear to be losing left tackle Khalif Barnes to free agency, leaving a gaping hole on the left side of the line. But the positive is that guards Vincent Manuwai and Maurice Williams are on-pace to return from their early season-ending injuries and bolster the Jacksonville line. Jones-Drew did admit he'd like to see the team draft a left tackle with its first-round pick.

A lower center of gravity in some ways helps MJD. Just ask Darren Sproles. (US Presswire)

Another issue facing Jones-Drew is this quiet, nagging notion that Jacksonville wants to morph into a passing team even though coach Jack Del Rio and others in the organization talk like they want to run. Jones-Drew was very much aware that the team's percentage of run plays dipped from 51 percent in 2007 to 42 percent in 2008. This may have been because the O-line was tattered, so the two problems might very well be tied together.

"They say that in order to win in football, you need to be able to run the ball and stop the run, and we couldn't do either," Jones-Drew said. "We just had a different mindset last year, and I think it's definitely going to change this year and for years to come."

Finally, there's the almighty dollar. Jones-Drew will play in the last year of the contract he signed as a rookie in 2006, and while he would like a new deal, he's not going to harp on it or let it become a distraction.

"I definitely would like something done before the start of the season, but it's not up to me," Jones-Drew said. "My agent is doing a great job of talking to (the Jaguars) and it's up to them. That's what a lot of players have to understand -- all you can do is play and hopefully you stick with the team you started with, otherwise you just play for another team. It's part of the business. You can't take it personal, you just kind of have to go with the flow." So with the line healthier, the veteran gone, the team (hopefully) relying on the run more often and Jones-Drew potentially embarking on a season with huge financial implications, how should the speedster be evaluated for Fantasy play?

A consistent yard producer who puts up double-digit touchdowns annually is hard to find in Fantasy. Of the Top 20 running backs on our Fantasy Football rank list for 2009, four were rookies last year, three were breakout performers and three more will be over 30 next season. Throw them out of the equation because of a lack of a track record or because they will be approaching the downside of their careers. Of the remaining backs, only one has shown better consistency over the last few years, and that's the No. 1 overall pick in Fantasy drafts this summer, Adrian Peterson.

But after A.P., a case could be made that Jones-Drew is a viable selection second overall, ahead of Michael Turner, and first overall in leagues where receptions count. Obviously, his penchant for receptions (62 in 2008) is something Peterson (21) and Turner (six) don't have, which is why in PPR leagues you could consider Jones-Drew with the first selection. And for leagues where receptions don't count, the expectation that the combination of Turner's carries being reduced from 376 and Jones-Drew's improving from 197 make the argument more compelling. The touchdowns will only follow Turner south; keep in mind that the 17 scores he had in his breakout 2008 season were only three better than Jones-Drew had.

Jones-Drew may have a lot to prove to anyone out there still skeptical, but Fantasy Football owners can vouch for his skills and confidently label him as a Top 10 running back. Now it's time for owners to take the next step and put him toward the very top of their 2009 draft boards. The blend of versatility, speed, a full workload, a contract year, three seasons of excellent consistency and a chip on his shoulder don't exactly come together very often.

Shout out Jones-Drew's name early on Draft Day this summer. Loudly. Respectfully. Confidently.

Do you have a question or a comment for Dave? Send your thoughts to DMFantasyFootball@cbs.com and he'll respond to as many as he can. Be sure to put Attn: Jones-Drew in the subject field. Include your full name, hometown and state.