Who Should I Start? Aaron Jones Sr. or Travis Etienne Jr.

Tuesday, September 9, 9:21 AM

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. found the end zone for the Vikings in their comeback win on Monday Night Football over the Bears. He finished with three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown and added 23 rushing yards on his eight carries. While the touchdown and receiving production kept his Week 1 production solid, he ended up with fewer snaps and carries than Jordan Mason. Mason played 30 snaps and took his 15 carries for a team-high 68 rushing yards, while Jones played 28 snaps and ran more routes than Mason. It looks like a fairly even timeshare overall, making both backs usable but also touchdown-dependent moving forward. Jones and Mason's next matchup will be another primetime contest against the Falcons on Sunday Night Football in Week 2.

Sunday, September 7, 9:09 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. had a monster game in his team's 26-10 Week 1 victory over the Carolina Panthers. Etienne Jr. rushed 16 times for 143 yards and added three catches for 13 yards as well. It wasn't clear coming into the season how Jacksonville would split backfield work between running backs Etienne Jr., Tank Bigsby, Bhayshul Tuten, and LeQuint Allen Jr. However, it was Etienne Jr. who dominated touches in Week 1. His 16 carries were almost double what Jacksonville's other three backs earned combined (nine). Allen Jr. was also the only other Jaguars running back to earn a target, so Etienne Jr. looks like he could be in line for a three-down role. As long as he continues to work in a clear lead role, Etienne Jr. could provide fantasy RB2 production going forward.