Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Travis Etienne Jr.

Sunday, January 26, 6:46 PM

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler tallied just 32 all-purpose yards during their loss in the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ekeler also lost a fumble. The Commanders were playing from behind throughout most of the contest, putting their rushing attack out of the game plan. However, even when Ekeler was given the ball through the air, he could not perform. He caught five of his seven targets but tallied just 17 yards. His seven targets tied him the second-most on the team, only behind tight end Zach Ertz. Throughout the season, the 29-year-old operated primarily as a change-of-pace option in the Washington backfield. Entering Sunday, Ekeler posted a strong 10.3 yards per catch and a 4.8 yards per carry. Ekeler will likely remain in this role next season as he enters the final year of his contract.

Thursday, August 14, 2:22 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. got a lot of run "from the jump" in the team's scrimmage on Thursday. Tank Bigsby and rookie Bhayshul Tuten had the second-most reps of RBs during the scrimmage, and Bigsby found the end zone. Etienne was also the team's lead back in the preseason opener on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, although he only carried the ball twice for six yards and caught one pas for a pickup of 10 yards. Bigsby and Tuten didn't see the field. Etienne's usage so far suggests that he should be a big part of Jacksonville's offense in 2025, unless he's traded before the start of the season. The 26-year-old is still RotoBaller's highest-ranked (No. 33) Jaguars RB in fantasy, but Bigsby is at No. 38, and Tuten sits at No. 51. It could be a three-headed monster for Jacksonville, making Etienne an RB3/flex, at best, in PPR leagues if he's not traded.