Who Should I Start? Travis Etienne Jr. or Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Thursday, May 8, 8:25 AM

The Jacksonville Jaguars' new regime of coaches and executives is "not so high" on running back Travis Etienne Jr., according to league executives who have spoken with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. As a result, Fowler notes that rookie Bhayshul Tuten could carve out a role and make an impact right away. The Etienne era in Jacksonville has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. He dominated over his first two seasons, combining for 2,925 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns. He even finished eighth in Offensive Player of the Year voting in 2023. However, last season, after Tank Bigsby joined the backfield, Etienne's usage dwindled. He still started all 15 games he played, but he was often out-snapped and out-produced by Bigsby. Etienne finished his age-25 campaign with just 558 rushing yards, 254 receiving yards, and two touchdowns, all of which were career lows. He was already trending down ahead of this offseason, and the Jaguars' decision to bring in new faces (such as general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen) could spell disaster for the former first-round pick.

Sunday, January 5, 6:45 PM

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. rushed for 59 yards on 14 carries during Sunday's Week 18 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He also caught two passes for an additional seven yards through the air. The rookie out of Purdue was solid in his first pro season, but he did endure a rough stretch with just 3.9 yards per carry over his final five games. All in all, Tracy finished as a mid-range RB3 in fantasy football, amassing 839 rushing yards, 284 receiving yards, and six total touchdowns. The Giants may look to bring in some running back competition this offseason, but Tracy has an early leg up on the starting job for 2025.