Who Should I Start? Travis Etienne or Anthony McFarland Jr.

Wednesday, February 28, 2:04 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr.'s 325 touches last year were third-most in the NFL for a RB, but head coach Doug Pederson said that Etienne as a workhorse back "is not the recipe" he prefers. Pederson mentioned that D'Ernest Johnson was injured in 2023, and Tank Bigsby was learning as a rookie. The head coach said he'd consider knocking some of Etienne's reps down next season in order to keep him healthy over the course of the year. All in all, the 25-year-old topped 1,000 rushing yards for the second time in his two NFL seasons, and he also improved as a pass-catcher with 58 catches for 476 yards. Etienne will remain the Jaguars' lead back and will be an RB1 target for fantasy managers, but you'll need to keep in mind that if the team has it their way, Etienne's total touches will be managed more.

Thursday, August 24, 11:23 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Anthony McFarland Jr. handled 10 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown in the team's preseason victory over the Atlanta Falcons. McFarland relieved Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren of their duties in the first quarter and received plenty of opportunities in the first half. The fourth-year pro powered through multiple Falcons defenders for a five-yard score in the second quarter that gave the Steelers a 24-0 lead. After an impressive summer, McFarland has given himself a great shot to make the final 53-man roster but is unlikely to make an impact for fantasy football in 2023.