May 26, 2026, 4:54 PM ET

As a member of perhaps the NFL's strangest running back committee with Washington in 2025, Chris Rodriguez Jr. found a way to make enough of an impact to land him a new contract. The former Kentucky tailback was 12th in the NFL in rushing yards after contact per carry (3.46), according to Pro Football Focus, and managed 4.61 scrimmage yards per touch for a Commanders offense that struggled without Jayden Daniels. Rodriguez Jr.'s free agency ended in hours, as a familiar face, Liam Coen, likely pulled strings to make him a Jaguar after the team lost Travis Etienne to the Saints. The 25-year-old signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Jaguars this offseason. Coen was Rodriguez's offensive coordinator with the Kentucky Wildcats in 2023. With the second-year coach at the controls, it's almost certain the 224-pound thumper will have a role in short-yardage situations, but he'll still have to battle incumbents Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. for overall snaps. RotoBaller's PPR rankings (57th overall) and Sleeper's ADP in PPR formats (60.4) expect Tuten to lead this backfield. Still, the sophomore struck out on a chance to command a hefty share of an ambiguous backfield a year ago. Plus, an injury could create immense clarity in this situation, and Rodriguez Jr. would be virtually unopposed for rushing work if he's the remaining party. Jacksonville intentionally signed the fourth-year running back to siphon valuable goal-line touches for fantasy football. Yet, a lack of receiving upside seems to have limited him to being a late-round flier (182.2 ADP) despite a fairly realistic chance to lead the team in carries. Even bullish on Tuten's outlook, RotoBaller's rankings (127th overall) still support selecting Rodriguez Jr. at ADP.--Austin Swaim