Travis Etienne Fantasy Overview

2024 Summary

Production & Fantasy Finishes

Etienne carried 150 times for 558 yards and two TDs in 15 games last year. He suffered a hamstring injury early in Week 6 and missed the next two games.

The carries, rushing yards, and TDs were all career lows.

Etienne was better in the passing game, catching 39 of 52 targets for 254 yards. All three of those marks ranked top 30 among RBs.

Etienne finished 35th at the position in total PPR points; 42nd in points per game.

Usage & Role

Etienne worked in a timeshare with RB Tank Bigsby throughout last season.

Etienne beat Bigsby 53 to 34 in carries over the first five weeks of the season. But, in their final eight games together, Bigsby held a slim 83 to 82 edge in carries.

Bigsby also beat Etienne 11 to five in carries inside the five-yard line for the season.

Etienne operated Jacksonville’s passing-down back throughout the year, though, out-targeting Bigsby 52 to 12.

That helped Etienne finish 35th among RBs in expected PPR points per game.

Efficiency Metrics

Etienne registered career lows in most rushing efficiency metrics last year, including:

• Yards per carry (3.7)
• Yards after contact per carry (2.48)
• Missed tackles forced per carry (0.11)
• Pro Football Focus rushing grade (62.8)

All four marks ranked bottom seven among 47 RBs with 90+ carries last year. Etienne also ranked 39th among those 47 RBs in NFL Next Gen Stats’ rush yards over expected per attempt.

Bigsby beat Etienne in all of those metrics — and it wasn’t particularly close.

Etienne was only a bit better in the passing game. His 6.5 yards per catch was a career low, and his 1.00 yards per route matched a career low. Those marks ranked 28th and 27th, respectively, among 37 RBs with 30+ targets.

Offensive Context

Jacksonville’s offense was not good last year, finishing 25th in total yards and 26th in points. The Jaguars also ranked dead last in plays per game.

HC Doug Pederson was a dead man walking all year. QB Trevor Lawrence missed virtually all of the final eight games with injuries.

The offensive line struggled in the run game, too, ranking:

• 25th in ESPN run block win rate
• 26th in Pro Football Focus run-blocking grades
• 18th in adjusted line yards

Historical Production & Trends

Etienne’s rushing yards per game has declined across each of his three NFL seasons, from 66.2 to 59.3 to 37.2.

After averaging 5.1 yards per carry in 2022, Etienne has mustered just 3.8 over the last two years.

A big culprit has been a lack of big plays. Here are the percentage of his runs to go for 15+ yards by season:

• 2022 - 7.2%
• 2023 - 3.7%
• 2024 - 4.0%

Etienne has at least remained a significant part of Jacksonville’s passing game, registering 11.8% and 11.1% target shares the past two seasons.

His finishes in PPR points per game:

• 2022 - 24th
• 2023 - 7th
• 2024 - 42nd

Injury History

Etienne missed his entire 2021 rookie season after suffering a significant tear to the Lisfranc ligament in his foot in the preseason.

He played all 17 games the following two years before missing two with a hamstring injury in 2024. Etienne also dealt with a shoulder injury early last season, missing part of the Week 4 game against the Texans.

2025 Expectations

Projected Role & Competition

Etienne is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He’s been the subject of trade rumors this offseason but remains on the roster as of now.

He’ll face heavy competition for snaps and touches in 2025. Bigsby returns after out-playing Etienne on the ground last year. And Jacksonville added RB Bhayshul Tuten early in the fourth round of this spring’s draft.

The Virginia Tech product totaled 2,022 rushing yards on 5.7 yards per carry over the last two seasons and blazed a 4.32-second 40 time at the Combine. There’s some overlapping skill set between Tuten and Etienne — both big-play backs.

Tuten is unlikely to make a big impact in the passing game this season, though. He caught 50 balls over the last two years but did not fare well in advanced metrics like yards per route and Pro Football Focus receiving grade.

Bigsby has eight total catches with five drops across his two NFL seasons.

Etienne is at least a good bet to hang on to primary pass-catching duties this year.

Coaching & Offensive Scheme

The Jaguars surprised no one by firing HC Doug Pederson shortly after the 2024 season ended. They landed Liam Coen as new HC a few weeks later.

Coen arrives fresh off leading the Buccaneers to a fourth-place finish in points and a third-place finish in total yards — up from 20th and 23rd under OC Dave Canales in 2023.

Tampa Bay’s running game was awesome under Coen, ranking:

• 4th in yards
• 2nd in yards per carry
• 8th in DVOA

Bucs RBs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White both finished top 21 in PPR points last year.

It’s a coaching upgrade for Etienne — although this new staff has no allegiance to him. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote in May that he heard the new regime is “not so high” on Etienne.

Supporting Cast

There’s plenty of firepower in this Jacksonville offense. Second overall pick Travis Hunter joins Brian Thomas Jr. to give the Jaguars one of the most talented WR duos in the league. QB Trevor Lawrence has been relatively underwhelming through four NFL seasons, but he’s not lacking in talent and turns just 26 in October. We’re expecting a bounce-back 2025 campaign.

The Jaguars’ offensive line remains a potential weak spot, though, even after adding C Robert Hainsey and G Patrick Mekari in free agency. Hainsey played under new Jags HC Liam Coen in Tampa Bay. Mekari is capable of playing all five spots on the line but is expected to start at RG.

This still looks like a below-average offensive line, but Coen’s scheme should help mask some deficiencies.