Fantasy Football Player Notes

With Travis Etienne gone, Bhayshul Tuten will compete with Chris Rodriguez to be the lead back for the Jaguars in 2026. I want to bet on Tuten this year and his talent. Last year, Tuten was unfortunately robbed of the stretch run of his rookie season as he was sidelined by a finger injury. Before the injury, he was starting to make some noise. This could be the big breakout season for Tuten, who, on a per-touch basis, flashed the immense talent that I really liked when he was in college. Last season, among 55 qualifying backs, he ranked fifth in rushing success rate, 11th in missed tackle rate, and 17th in yards after contact per attempt. Rodriguez will remain a worry for Tuten at the goal line and to his overall touch count until we see his role fleshed out this season, but if he can be the clear lead guy, he has the talent to match Etienne's RB13 finish last year in fantasy points per game.

As the 2025 regular season reached its conclusion, Trevor Lawrence was playing the best football of his five-year NFL career under first-year Jaguars head coach Liam Coen. Over his first 10 games, Lawrence averaged 215 passing yards, 1.1 TD passes and 16.6 fantasy points per game. He averaged 6.4 yards per pass attempt over that span, and his passer rating was 79.4. Over his last seven regular-season games, Lawrence averaged 265 passing yards, 2.6 TD passes and 26.6 fantasy points per game. He averaged 8.4 yards per pass attempt over those seven games, and his passer rating was 108.6. Lawrence also had his most productive season as a runner, with 359 rushing yards and nine TD runs. With Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington (and perhaps occasional contributions from Travis Hunter), Lawrence has a good set of wide receivers. Now, we'll see if T-Law can pick up where he left off.

Brian Thomas Jr.'s sophomore season was a major disappointment after the lofty expectations created by his explosive rookie campaign. Injuries constantly interrupted his momentum, while Jacksonville's offense increasingly funneled targets toward players like Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, and Brenton Strange. The talent that made BTJ a breakout star still exists, but his connection with Trevor Lawrence never consistently clicked in Liam Coen's system. Until Jacksonville proves willing to feature him more prominently again, Thomas profiles as more of a volatile upside WR3/4 than the ascending alpha many expected entering 2025.

Parker Washington flashed legitimate breakout potential late in 2025, thriving as Jacksonville's primary slot weapon once injuries opened up additional opportunity in the offense. The former Penn State receiver was extremely productive down the stretch (over 14 PPG from Weeks 9-18), dominating air yards and target share while showcasing strong efficiency metrics. However, his second-half surge also coincided with Travis Hunter's injury absence, and the Jaguars now enter 2026 with a much healthier and deeper WR room. Washington proved he can capitalize on expanded volume, but his weekly role could become far less stable if Jacksonville deploys him primarily in three-WR sets.

Jakobi Meyers continues to be one of fantasy football's most underrated receivers, quickly becoming Trevor Lawrence's trusted target after arriving in Jacksonville midseason. Meyers immediately stepped into a major role in Liam Coen's offense and maintained steady production even after Brian Thomas Jr. returned to the lineup. His reliability, route-running, and ability to command targets have quietly made him one of the league's more productive possession receivers over the last several seasons. With a full offseason to build chemistry in Jacksonville, Meyers profiles as a strong value WR3 with a safer weekly floor than most players in his draft range.

Chris Rodriguez reunited with Liam Coen this offseason as he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Rodriguez and Coen spent time together during Coen's one-year tenure as Kentucky's offensive coordinator during the 2021 collegiate season. In that season, Rodriguez ran for 1,379 yards with 6.1 yards per carry and 12 total touchdowns. Rodriguez will look to build upon his brief run as Washington's starter last season. In Weeks 10-18, he drew six starts while averaging 12.7 touches and 57.7 total yards as the RB31 in fantasy points per game. Rodriguez could be an early down and short yardage option for the Jags this year, as he won't be contributing much in the passing game. Last season, he had only four targets and 30 receiving yards with Washington. He was quite good as a rusher, though ranking 12th in missed tackle rate and second in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). We'll see how much Rodriguez can eat into Bhayshul Tuten's workload this season, but he's a nice late-round pick in all formats.

Brenton Strange hit career highs in receptions (46), receiving yards (540) and TD catches (3) last season despite playing only 12 games. The 25-year-old Strange, a second-round draft pick in 2023, averaged an impressive 9.0 yards per target and a solid 1.58 yards per route run in an ascendant Jacksonville offense. Still, his fantasy impact was modest. Strange finished TE18 in half-point PPR fantasy points per game among TEs who played at least five games. Although his 2025 performance hints at greater fantasy potential, Strange may have to share snaps with other tight ends in Jacksonville. The Jaguars selected Nate Boerkircher in the second round and Tanner Koziol in the fifth round of this year's draft. That suggests the Jaguars will use more multiple-TE sets this season, which wouldn't necessarily be bad for Strange, but it somewhat clouds his fantasy outlook for 2026.

Travis Hunter remains one of fantasy football's most fascinating wild cards as Jacksonville continues to balance his two-way responsibilities. Early indications suggest the Jaguars want him playing more cornerback in 2026, although that may not necessarily come at the expense of his WR role. Before his injury last season, Hunter was heavily involved as a schemed-touch weapon, leading the Jaguars in catches while flashing explosive upside from the slot. His fantasy value ultimately hinges on offensive snap volume, making him more of a high-upside stash unless injuries or dedicated role expansion push him into a full-time receiving role.

Week 1? Home versus the Cleveland Browns. The Jags finished second in interceptions in 2025 (22) after posting the third-lowest INT rate in 2024. They made a sneaky leap last year by leading the NFL in passes defended. As one of the league's premier "pass-funnels," the Jags DST has boom potential with a salivating Week 1 matchup. But be warned that they might be extremely feast or famine as the 21st-ranked defense in the 2026 projections. Jacksonville's defensive interior ranked second-lowest in pass-rush productivity across the NFL in 2025 - resulting in an underwhelming sack total (27th).

Cam Little has only been in the league for two years, and he already holds the NFL record for longest field goal and longest *outdoor* field goal. Little blasted a 68-yard field goal against the Raiders last November in the domed Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Two months later, he drilled a 67-yarder in the Jaguars' regular-season finale at Jacksonville's outdoor EverBank Stadium. Little, who's entering his age-23 season, has quickly established himself as one of the NFL's best kickers. He's converted 57-of-63 (90.5%) FG tries and 77-of-78 (98.7%) of his extra points since joining the Jags. Little finished fifth in fantasy scoring among kickers this season. With the Jaguars' offense on the rise under head coach Liam Coen, the strong-legged Little should be considered a top-five fantasy kicker for 2026.