The Jacksonville Jaguars have put together one of the quickest turnarounds in recent memory in the NFL – winning the AFC South title just two years after winning just one game and “earning” the right to draft franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The Jaguars have invested heavily in running back, using a 2021 first-round draft pick to select Travis Etienne and a third-round pick in this year’s draft to acquire Tank Bigsby.
The team has built an elite receiving corps through free agency and trades (wide receivers Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Calvin Ridley as well as tight end Evan Engram). This offense is expected to throw a lot but has a running game to complement that aerial attack to potentially make Jacksonville one of the most potent offenses in the NFL.
Travis Etienne
Etienne missed his entire rookie year after suffering a Lisfranc injury in the preseason but showed up so strong in 2022 that Jacksonville traded starter James Robinson seven weeks into the season to clear a path for Etienne to take over the workload.
He responded by rushing 220 times for 1,125 yards and five touchdowns and caught 35 passes for 316 yards. In the 11 games he started after the Robinson trade, Etienne ran for more than 100 yards five times.
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While he has fumbling issues, his explosiveness is undeniable, and his value to the offense is growing. Head coach Doug Pederson envisions Etienne being to Jacksonville’s offense what Austin Ekeler and Christian McCaffrey are for the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers – a dual-threat back who can get into space consistently as a receiver and do damage. It might limit his rushing attempts but increase his explosive plays.
Tank Bigsby
A two-year starter at Auburn, Bigsby lives up to his nickname – he has power, explosion and body control to run through contact. He also has big-play ability – he led the SEC with eight runs of more than 30 yards last season.
If Etienne has a weakness, it is that he isn’t a between-the-tackles finisher near the goal line. Bigsby is just the opposite. He churns his legs on contact and will likely earn the spot as the short-yardage/goal-line back, which can help pile up fantasy points if he becomes the designated goal-line runner.
Bigsby doesn’t always run with decisiveness to hit lanes, but his improvement as a receiver and upside as a blocker will make it difficult to limit his role in the offense. If Pederson is telling the truth about changing Etienne’s role in the offense, Bigsby’s share of the run game could be significant.
D'Ernest Johnson
Johnson’s numbers are modest to say the least. In four years in Cleveland, he totaled 141 rushes for 738 yards and three touchdowns, plus 31 receptions for 229 yards. Jacksonville made him a signing quickly when free agency opened after seeing what Johnson accomplished when given a chance.
Being teammates with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, opportunities were rare for Johnson in Cleveland. In the two games (in 2021) when the both Chubb and Hunt were out with injuries, Johnson rushed 41 times for 245 yards and a touchdown and caught nine passes for 80 yards. In four years, he earned two chances – and hit a home run twice. If the situation arises again, the Jaguars have confidence in his ability to be a workhorse.
JaMycal Hasty
After spending two seasons with the 49ers, Hasty played in all 17 games with the Jaguars and did a little bit of everything. He rushed 46 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns, caught 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown, and was a core special teams player.
He will have a part-time role in the offense and is in the mix to win one of the return specialist positions. His fantasy value will be limited, but he does enough things well that if there is in injury Hasty can take on a larger role without the offense taking a backward step.
Fantasy football outlook
Etienne is consistently viewed as a friend No. 1/high RB2, typically falling between Nos. 11-14 in ADP rankings. If he becomes what the new-look fantasy running back (McCaffrey and Ekeler) look like, he could be a huge value pick. While it might be asking a lot to make Etienne your RB1, his ceiling is higher than most, especially given that the Jaguars offense is going to be potent if its key players stay healthy.
Bigsby is consistently clocking in on the low end of the RB5 range, because touchdown snipers are always in vogue. If you’re into handcuffing backs, connecting the rookie to Etienne could pay off.
Johnson likely won’t get drafted, but if Etienne gets injured, somebody is going to be very quick to snap Johnson off the waiver wire. He has a limited sample size but has made the most of his opportunities and could checker-jump Bigsby in the event of an Etienne injury.
