Travis Etienne Jr. An RB2 With Upside In Week 2 Against Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. is still a great starting option for fantasy managers in Week 2 despite a mediocre Week 1 performance against the Miami Dolphins. He had 44 rushing yards on 12 carries, a rushing touchdown, two receptions for 15 yards, and a costly fourth-quarter fumble. The Jaguars face the Cleveland Browns this week, a defense better against the pass than the run. The offense struggled in Week 1, especially in the second half, meaning establishing the run early could be the strategy to try and get back on track. Tank Bigsby, who surprisingly led the team in rushing against the Dolphins (12 carries for 73 yards), could be a part of that strategy. However, Etienne Jr. still led the team in touches, and losing his starting job would be a massive overreaction to one game. Etienne Jr. managers will be disappointed that a guy they drafted as an RB1 is already viewed as an RB2, but the upside for RB1 status remains.
Travis Etienne Jr. Scores, Masking Otherwise Underwhelming Performance
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. finished with 44 rushing yards on 12 carries and 15 yards on two catches in a 17-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He also fumbled out of the back of the endzone for a touchback. The Jaguars offense disappointed overall, scoring all 17 points in the first half. Backup running back Tank Bigsby was one of the few bright spots, putting up 73 yards on 12 carries of his own. However, it was Etienne Jr. who scored the lone rushing touchdown from one yard out in the first quarter, salvaging his fantasy output. His fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned going forward, as the Jaguars offense won't struggle as badly as they did in the second half for the entire season. The third-year pro should maintain RB1 expectations next week against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2, a defense that allowed 40 yards and a touchdown to Ezekiel Elliot on 10 carries in Week 1.
Travis Etienne Posts 46 Rushing Yards In Preseason Finale
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne put up 46 rushing yards on seven carries and three yards on one catch in a 31-0 win against the Atlanta Falcons. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry, and his longest run of Friday's game was 19 yards. The third-year running back looked explosive on the ground against Atlanta's defensive backups and will be a bell-cow once again this season. Etienne currently goes at RB10 and 22nd overall on Yahoo, which feels a little low given his potential volume. He finished as the RB3 last season but was inconsistent down the stretch. However, with a revamped offense and improved offensive line, fantasy managers shouldn't worry about the former Clemson back as a second-round pick with a first-round upside. Managers looking for a running back in the second round should feel good about picking Etienne.
Travis Etienne Jr. Shows Off Versatility with Touchdown Reception
Jacksonville Jaguars running Travis Etienne Jr. only mustered three yards on four carries but caught a nine-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive in a 26-13 win over the Chiefs in the preseason opener on Saturday. The starters only played the first two drives, but Etienne was featured on both. The Clemson product should once again have a three-down role this season, but after dropping from 5.1 yards per carry as a rookie to 3.8, his low YPC output limits his upside. Etienne is still an RB1, but despite his significant role, he isn't quite in the top tier of fantasy RBs. Tank Bigsby looked dynamic after Etienne left the game, so expect slight involvement from the sophomore RB as well as D'Ernest Johnson. Etienne's current ADP on Yahoo is 22.5 (RB10). Fantasy managers should feel good snagging Etienne in the second round in all redraft formats.
Jaguars Plan To Ease Travis Etienne Jr.'s Workload
For the second straight season, the Jacksonville Jaguars plan to ease running back Travis Etienne Jr.'s workload in 2024. Despite similar plans last year, Etienne actually had a bigger workload in 2023 than he did in 2022, and head coach Doug Pederson doesn't want to repeat that. "We talked about this as a staff and myself, making sure Tank Bigsby gets opportunities to get out there and take some of the pounding off of Travis," head coach Doug Pederson said. Etienne took over as the top back in 2022 by mid-October and accounted for 61% of the RB carries and 60% of the RB touches. Last year, he had 75% of the RB carries and 76% of the RB touches. Bigsby never quite earned the trust of the coaches for a bigger role in 2023, but that figures to change this year. Etienne missed his rookie year with a Lisfranc foot injury but has since established himself as a top back in the NFL. However, his ceiling as an RB1 in fantasy in 2024 could be tough to come by.
Jaguars Exercise Fifth-Year Options On Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne
The Jacksonville Jaguars announced on X that they have picked up the fifth-year options on 2021 first-round picks Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne. This move keeps the former Clemson duo under contract through the 2025 NFL season. Lawrence, the former No. 1 overall pick, has played well in spurts and led the team to a playoff win. He seemingly regressed from 2022 to 2023, but he's shown enough to warrant the team rolling with him for at least another two years. After missing his entire rookie season with a lisfranc injury, Etienne has rushed 478 times for 2,133 yards and 16 touchdowns and caught 93 passes for 792 yards and one score as a receiver in 34 games.
Jaguars Pick Up Fifth-Year Options On Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne Jr.
Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said on Saturday that the team is picking up the fifth-year option for quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne Jr. It's no surprise that the Jags will pick up the options for the former Clemson teammates with the deadline to do so coming next Thursday. The 24-year-old Lawrence has been given even more weapons in Gabe Davis and rookie Brian Thomas after Calvin Ridley left in free agency this offseason. Injuries hurt Lawrence in the second half of 2023, and with better health in 2024, he could easily rebound as a strong midrange QB1 for fantasy. Etienne has rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his first two NFL seasons while also catching 93 total passes for 792 yards. Tank Bigsby could be a thorn in his side as he gets more involved in the backfield, but Etienne is still an attractive fantasy RB in an offense that could be even more explosive this year.
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr.'s 325 touches last year were third-most in the NFL for a RB, but head coach Doug Pederson said that Etienne as a workhorse back "is not the recipe" he prefers. Pederson mentioned that D'Ernest Johnson was injured in 2023, and Tank Bigsby was learning as a rookie. The head coach said he'd consider knocking some of Etienne's reps down next season in order to keep him healthy over the course of the year. All in all, the 25-year-old topped 1,000 rushing yards for the second time in his two NFL seasons, and he also improved as a pass-catcher with 58 catches for 476 yards. Etienne will remain the Jaguars' lead back and will be an RB1 target for fantasy managers, but you'll need to keep in mind that if the team has it their way, Etienne's total touches will be managed more.
Travis Etienne Jr. Caps Off Strong Season On Sunday
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. finished Sunday's loss to the Titans with 57 yards off 16 carries. He added five catches for 30 yards. The Jaguars didn't make the postseason. However, Etienne can't take much of the blame, considering he was a top fantasy back all year. The 24-year-old will finish the 2023-24 campaign with 12 touchdowns (11 rushing, one receiving). He also surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second straight season. Etienne will draw plenty of interest from fantasy managers in drafts heading into next season, and he may even get taken in the first round in many of them.
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. heads into a crucial Week 18 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. Without his QB1 last week, Etienne was fed early and often against one of the NFL's worst run defenses. The former first-round pick was actually having a modest game until he broke free down the right sideline that resulted in a 62-yard touchdown. He then capped the day with a one-yard score late in the fourth to give the Jaguars a dominant 26-0 victory. Etienne should be fired up once again at Tennessee who ranks middle-of-the-pack against opposing backs. In what is a "win and in" playoff scenario for the Jaguars, there's no doubt that Etienne will once again be a heavily featured weapon in this offensive attack, especially if QB Trevor Lawrence is ruled out.
