The New York Jets have officially agreed to terms with Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook, signing him to a one-year deal worth up to $8.6 million. Cook was the biggest name available in the running back market, leading some to believe that his arrival alters Breece Hall’s outlook in fantasy football for the 2023 season.
Before we dive into what Hall’s outlook looks like with Cook in the backfield. we need to discuss what he did in his rookie season in 2022 and where he’s at in his recovery from a season-ending knee injury.
Refresher on Hall's rookie season and knee injury
The Jets took Hall with the 36th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, which is significant draft capital in today’s league. Hall would share the backfield with Michael Carter for the first few weeks of his rookie campaign before handling the majority of the workload by Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Before suffering a torn ACL in Week 7 versus the Denver Broncos, Hall was extremely efficient with 681 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 99 touches. In terms of fantasy football, he was averaging 15.1 fantasy points per game in half-PPR formats (ninth-best among RBs) and 16.4 fantasy points per game in full-PPR formats (10th-best among RBs) through Week 7, according to FantasyPros.
From the moment he stepped foot on the field, Hall showed that he can be a valuable running back in fantasy football. While the second-year has been on the PUP list throughout training camp, he’s been activated off of the list and the Jets have remained adamant that he’ll be ready for Week 1.
What is Hall's outlook with Cook joining the Jets' RB room?
Even with Hall coming off a torn ACL, expectations were high for the talented back entering the 2023 season. The Jets have added Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and other weapons in the offense, which should provide a boost for all of the skill players.
But with Cook joining the running back room, Hall’s role undoubtedly changes in 2023 — especially early in the season. The Jets are likely going to ease Hall back in following his knee injury, splitting the workload between him and Cook to keep both fresh throughout the rigors of an 18-week schedule.
Cook, who underwent shoulder surgery this offseason, has seen his efficiency numbers decline in recent years, but he’s still capable of producing on the ground or through the air. Hall also flashed dual-threat ability as a rookie, making it possible that both he and Cook are pivotal pieces in the offense.
There’s certainly a chance that Hall could still provide value in fantasy football — especially later in the season — when he’s potentially at full health and the Jets are making a playoff push. Hall isn’t going to command the touches he would have seen without Cook signing. But that doesn’t mean he can’t provide upside for those that take him in fantasy football drafts in 2023 and he could be worth buying in dynasty leagues with some being wary of the arrival of Cook.
