Who Should I Start? Travis Etienne Jr. or Jayden Higgins

Tuesday, January 27, 4:29 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. was motivated in his contract year in 2025, and he delivered with 1,399 scrimmage yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns (seven rushing, six receiving) in 17 regular-season games. The 27-year-old posted his third 1,000-yard rushing season in his four years in the NFL, and it was a huge bounce-back campaign for the former Clemson star after he had only 558 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 2024 in 15 games. Determining Etienne's 2026 fantasy value is hard at the moment, since we don't know yet if the Jaguars plan to make an effort to re-sign him as he heads into his fifth year in the NFL. Etienne certainly outperformed expectations this year, but if he goes elsewhere, he might not see the kind of volume he did for the Jags as a dual-threat RB. If he stays in Duval, Etienne will be trying to hold off Bhayshul Tuten, who seems destined for a bigger role in 2026.

Sunday, January 18, 10:09 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins caught six of his 10 targets for 59 yards during Sunday's Divisional Round loss against the New England Patriots. Higgins took on a larger role with Nico Collins (concussion) sidelined, and it resulted in him leading the team in both catches and receiving yards. The Iowa State product put together a strong rookie campaign, catching 41 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns through 17 regular-season games. He added another 14 catches and 98 yards in the playoffs. Heading into next year, Higgins will continue to face competition for targets from Nico Collins and Jaylin Noel. Christian Kirk is expected to depart in free agency, but Tank Dell (knee) should take his place on offense and will create additional competition. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Houston, but Higgins will have a chance to emerge as the No. 2 target behind Collins.