Who Should I Start? D'Ernest Johnson or Travis Etienne

Tuesday, March 12, 12:39 PM

The Jacksonville Jaguars are re-signing running back D'Ernest Johnson to a one-year deal, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 28-year-old hit the open market on Monday but ultimately ended up coming back to the team's crowded running back room. Starter Travis Etienne has a secure spot as the lead back, while 2023 rookie Tank Bigsby is expected to see an enhanced role in 2024. This leaves Johnson in the RB3 and special teams running back role, so he'll remain off the fantasy radar next season unless both Etienne and Bigsby suffer injuries and miss time simultaneously. Johnson has rushed for just 846 yards since entering the NFL in 2019 with the Cleveland Browns.

Wednesday, February 28, 2:04 PM

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.