Who Should I Start? Travis Etienne Jr. or Tyjae Spears

Saturday, July 12, 11:10 PM

According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. needs to have a strong year to be considered a "marquee target" in free agency next offseason. If not, he could become "a back who gets lumped in with the pool of veterans who cycle through one-year deals." The 26-year-old began his career by amassing over 1,000 rushing yards while totaling 17 touchdowns in his first two active seasons. Unfortunately, he's coming off his worst season in the National Football League, accumulating 558 yards and two scores off 150 touches. Tank Bigsby was more productive overall throughout the 2024 campaign. However, it's a new era in Jacksonville, with the organization hiring former Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen to serve as the head coach. In addition, the Jags bolstered the running back position by selecting Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. in the 2025 NFL Draft. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how the backfield situation takes shape during training camp. Although Etienne's fantasy stock has never been lower, it appears he at least has a chance to turn things around in 2025. If anything, Etienne should be selected for insurance purposes in case Bigsby goes down with an injury.

Wednesday, June 18, 3:04 PM

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears has impressed this offseason, according to team writer Jim Wyatt. "Spears looked explosive on the field this offseason, when he got plenty of work," Wyatt wrote. "While Tony Pollard got the bulk of the work last fall, Spears showed flashes at different times. If he can stay healthy, he seems poised to be a consistent playmaker in 2025." The 2023 third-round pick out of Tulane struggled to stay healthy last season, missing five games due to multiple injuries. Overall, he tallied 84 rushing attempts for 312 yards and four scores to go with 30 receptions for 224 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in 12 games. Titans head coach Brian Callahan has hinted at more of a split backfield in 2025, and the team could opt to use the "hot hand" approach. Fantasy managers should not rely on Spears as an RB2, RB3, or flex option to begin next year's campaign, but he's an intriguing handcuff stash and late-round draft dart throw in most formats. If No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward exceeds expectations in Year 1, the Tennessee offense could have more upside than suggested by the cost of the Titans' players in fantasy drafts.