Who Should I Start? Travis Etienne Jr. or Tyler Allgeier

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.

Friday, February 13, 8:58 AM

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier continued to carve out standalone value in his role behind Bijan Robinson throughout the 2025 season. Allgeier had his ups and downs, making it difficult to know when to start or sit him. His role wasn't exactly matchup dependent or even game script dependent, so he spent most of the season as a risky RB3/flex in a boom-or-bust role. However, on a positive note, he played all 17 games and finished with yet another solid stat line. He rushed for 514 yards and eight touchdowns on 143 carries, posting a new career-high in touchdowns as he vultured a lot of Robinson's goal-line work. He also caught 14 passes for 96 receiving yards. Allgeier ranked as the overall RB39 in PPR leagues, and he has now posted a top-43 finish in each of his four NFL seasons. Robinson's steady availability has left Allgeier in a backup role, but it's worth noting that he's arguably the most valuable fantasy handcuff and would jump to the top-12 range if Robinson were to miss time. Between his modest standalone value and his upside as Robinson's backup, Allgeier will continue to be a solid fantasy option for 2026. In dynasty leagues, he's a "hold" for most managers, but he's an important "buy" for managers with Robinson on their roster.