Who Should I Start? Travis Etienne or Jahmyr Gibbs

Thursday, September 12, 5:41 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. is still a great starting option for fantasy managers in Week 2 despite a mediocre Week 1 performance against the Miami Dolphins. He had 44 rushing yards on 12 carries, a rushing touchdown, two receptions for 15 yards, and a costly fourth-quarter fumble. The Jaguars face the Cleveland Browns this week, a defense better against the pass than the run. The offense struggled in Week 1, especially in the second half, meaning establishing the run early could be the strategy to try and get back on track. Tank Bigsby, who surprisingly led the team in rushing against the Dolphins (12 carries for 73 yards), could be a part of that strategy. However, Etienne Jr. still led the team in touches, and losing his starting job would be a massive overreaction to one game. Etienne Jr. managers will be disappointed that a guy they drafted as an RB1 is already viewed as an RB2, but the upside for RB1 status remains.

Monday, September 9, 1:36 PM

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a solid fantasy performance against the Los Angeles Rams, carrying the ball 11 times for 40 yards and a touchdown. Gibbs added four catches for 34 yards through the air. Although Gibbs is still splitting time with David Montgomery, he is a must-start, considering his high ceiling and elite pass-catching ability. He was tied for the second-most targets against the Rams and performed much better in the second half of the game. The Lions play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, who gave up 101 receiving yards to running backs in Week 1. Gibbs is a must-start and should be in all fantasy lineups versus Tampa Bay.