Who Should I Start? Travis Etienne Jr. or Jaylen Waddle
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13.2 | 60.3 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 18.7 | 0.1 |
Travis Etienne Jr. News
Thursday, July 23, 11:20 AM
New Orleans Saints running back Travis Etienne Jr. is built for a contender, even if his first season back in Louisiana comes with a messy workload. Etienne played all 17 games in 2025 and rushed 260 times for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 36 passes for 292 yards and six more scores, giving him 1,399 scrimmage yards and a career-high 13 total touchdowns. New Orleans paid him four years, $52 million, so he was not signed to wait. The Saints also reworked Alvin Kamara's contract in July, ensuring the veteran remains for 2026, and Kellen Moore has said both backs can contribute in all three phases. That makes a clean lead role unlikely. It does not erase Etienne's immediate value. At 27, he has three 1,000-yard rushing seasons in four healthy campaigns, and RotoBaller ranks him 57th overall in dynasty. Rebuilders should be willing to turn last year's rebound into younger value. Contenders can live with some frustrating weeks because Etienne's rushing volume, receiving skill, and scoring upside still give him a path to regular fantasy starts.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 4.4 | 57.8 | 0.3 |
Jaylen Waddle News
Saturday, August 1, 4:44 PM
In an interview with NFL Network's Cynthia Frelund and Steve Wyche, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton offered high praise for newly acquired wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Payton said, "he's an elite competitor," and "he's a guy that can play in the slot, he can play outside, and he can separate with both his speed and agility." Earlier this week, Payton said Waddle is the kind of player who "walks on water" and that "there's a clear vision for him." The former Dolphins receiver was traded to Denver this offseason and has been making a ton of noise during training camp. With high praise from his head coach, Waddle could be in line for a great season in Denver, similar to how receivers like George Pickens and Davante Adams did after changing teams in 2025.
Travis Etienne Jr. vs. Jaylen Waddle
Still trying to decide between Etienne Jr. and Waddle? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Travis Etienne Jr. is projected to score 13.2 points this week while Jaylen Waddle is projected to score 12.2 points.
Latest Fantasy News
