Roundtable Week 6: State of the Jaguars' Backfield

Photo: USA Today Sports

Welcome to Week 6 of the 2022 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. Topics are now split into separate features.

This week's roundtable features these four topics:

• The State of the Jaguars' Backfield (see below)
• Dynasty Buy-Sell-Hold
• The True Reveal: Week 5
• Not So Fast . . .

The State of the Jaguars' Backfield

Matt Waldman: Our subscriber Jacob wrote me on Sunday night inquiring about Travis Etienne and James Robinson, suggesting this as a subject. After thinking about it, I think it's a good idea.

James Robinson is 16th among PPR RBs off the strength of Weeks 1-3. Travis Etienne is 37th but outperformed Robinson during the past two weeks. Etienne has been more efficient with his touches.

Answer the following:

• Is there a clear-cut superior starter between the two moving forward?
• Which game scripts will make one the better option ahead of the other?
• Do you think both players can deliver starter value in a 3-RB fantasy lineup?

Help Jacob and other subscribers out this week with your thoughts.

Gary Davenport: Unfortunately, I don't think that there is a clear-cut choice. Barring an injury, it's going to be a split backfield—and one dictated by game flow, which won't make picking "the guy" each week any easier.

This is pretty simple—and we've seen it play out. When the Jags have a positive game script and are playing from ahead, Robinson has RB1 upside. If things start to get away from them, and they are playing from behind. As such, Robinson lands on a milk carton, and it's the Etienne show.

Yes? (He says reluctantly.)

Waldman: I compare you to a wild animal in a previous topic, and now you're narrating yourself?

Davenport: That's what happens when you feed the animal.

Waldman: Fair. Fool me once . . .

Davenport: It would be easier to feel better about the Jacksonville backfield if the offense as a whole would show more consistency.

Looking at you, Trevor.

Looking.

Right.

At.

You.

So long as that offense is all over the place, the backfield usage probably will be too—and that means so will Robinson's and Etienne's fantasy production.

We really should have known the Jaguars wouldn't let us have nice things.

Dave Kluge: I’m trying my best not to hold onto off-season priors (I had Travis Etienne pegged as a high-end RB2), but it appears that Etienne is slowly starting to take over the backfield. Per Ian Hartitz, Etienne leads James Robinson in PFF grade, yards per carry, yards after contact per attempt, missed tackles forced per attempt, yards per route run, and yards per reception. Etienne has been the more efficient back across the board. He has now out-snapped Robinson in back-to-back weeks. On almost the same amount of touches in Week 5, Etienne racked up nearly three times as many yards. I just wrote about Etienne and Robinson in my “Three Up, Three Down” article, but I think we’re witnessing the changing of the guard. I’d be trying to get out on Robinson while I still could.