Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or Travis Etienne Jr.

Friday, November 14, 10:31 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley set his season high for touches in a game last week against the Packers, carrying the ball four times and hauling in two catches. This resulted in 34 total yards, which is also his best in a single game this year. Philly's backfield has been tough to keep track of through the first 10 weeks, as Shipley, Tank Bigsby, and A.J. Dillon have rotated between the lead backup role behind Saquon Barkley. While Bigsby shined with over 100 rushing yards in Week 8, he got only 12.7% of offensive snaps against Green Bay compared to Shipley's 19%. Regardless of who gets the bulk going forward, Shipley is best left out of lineups this week against the Lions and should be rostered as a handcuff at best.

Sunday, November 16, 7:26 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. had 19 carries, 73 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns during Sunday's Week 11 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He was unable to haul in either of his two targets in the passing game. Etienne ceded early-game touches to Bhayshul Tuten (ankle), but then the rookie left the game with an injury, clearing the way for Etienne to re-establish himself as the lead back. The 26-year-old took full advantage of the opportunity, helping fuel a 35-6 upset victory at home. If Tuten is healthy in Week 12, we could see somewhat of a 50/50 backfield split, as both running backs have proven that they are effective and can provide a spark. In a split backfield, Etienne is a low-end RB2. However, he would jump to the RB1 tier if he operates as the workhorse or if Tuten misses time.