Who Should I Start? Chris Godwin or Travis Etienne

Wednesday, October 23, 10:12 AM

The NFL's Ian Rapoport reports that Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (ankle) will undergo surgery on Wednesday to repair his dislocated ankle. Rapoport noted that tests done leading up to surgery were "as good as they could've been," according to sources. Additionally, there is an outside shot Godwin could return in 2024, depending on how late in the winter the Bucs play. However, the likelihood of such an outcome is not very good. With fellow wideout Mike Evans (hamstring) expected to miss time through Week 11, Tampa Bay is suddenly reeling on offense. It'd not be surprising to see the team seek veteran help, but in the meantime, wide receivers Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, and Sterling Shepherd will attempt to fill the void. Running back Rachaad White and tight end Cade Otton should also continue to see an uptick in usage.

Monday, January 6, 11:55 AM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. struggled to find much space in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He finished with 13 carries for 31 yards as well as three catches for 29 yards. The 25-year-old back out of Clemson had the worst season of his young career, struggling to find efficient yardage in a lackluster offense. While it still seems Etienne Jr. is much better in the passing game than backup Tank Bigsby, Bigsby seemed to take over as the lead rusher and goal-line back. Maybe with a healthy offense and improved roster next season, Etienne Jr. can get back on track, but he will likely still have Bigsby nipping at his heels. Expect Etienne Jr. to remain involved, but not as a workhorse back in the 2025 NFL season.