RADIO
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Sees Valuable Short-Yardage Role in Week 1
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. opened his 2026 season with six carries for 23 yards in the team's dominant 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Rodriguez did not produce fantasy-relevant numbers in Week 1 but remained a key part of the Jaguars' backfield alongside Bhayshul Tuten. He played 23 of 50 snaps (46%), including most of the short-yardage snaps, and took the only goal-line snap of the game. Given how effective the Jaguars' offense under Liam Coen looked, the team should have plenty of opportunities for red zone and goal-line looks this season. He faces the Denver Broncos' defense next week, which was the NFL's best run defense last season, but his current role leaves him as a waiver-wire priority in Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bhayshul Tuten the Clear Top Back Against Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten played well in his first game as the full-time starter, finishing with 15 carries for 66 yards and a 22-yard catch. The passing game and defense were the primary reasons for the Jaguars dominating the Browns, but Tuten was involved just enough to muster a respectable fantasy outing. What is most reassuring is the fact that he finished with nine more carries than Chris Rodriguez Jr., who was considered a potential roadblock to Tuten getting high volume. The rookie combine standout will look to build on this performance in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos.
Source: Bhayshul Tuten RotoBaller
Source: Bhayshul Tuten RotoBaller
LeQuint Allen Jr. Will Play in Sunday's Season Opener
Jacksonville Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen Jr. (hip) is officially active for Sunday's Week 1 contest against the Cleveland Browns. Allen missed practice Wednesday, logged a limited session on Thursday and Friday, and was ultimately listed as questionable coming into the weekend. Despite failing to log a full practice, he is suiting up as the Jags' No. 3 running back for the season opener. As a rookie last year, he tallied 94 rushing yards, 10 catches, and 54 receiving yards. He's stuck behind Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. on the depth chart, but having a year of experience under his belt could help Allen carve out a slightly larger role on offense in 2026. With that being said, he remains avoidable in most fantasy leagues.
Source: Jacksonville Jaguars
Source: Jacksonville Jaguars
Chris Rodriguez Jr. a Bench Stash Entering Week 1
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. is an interesting fantasy option entering Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. The 25-year-old back played well in college at Kentucky while playing in Liam Coen's offense, so the two reuniting is an interesting storyline. Rodriguez Jr. has shown signs of being a good rusher in the NFL, but has very limited receiving skills, making him unlikely to ever be a bell cow. However, with him being listed as a co-starter with young, unproven back Bhayshul Tuten, the Kentucky product could be involved enough in the offense to be fantasy relevant. For now, that is hard to know for sure, so fantasy managers should be patient with putting him in starting lineups. However, in deeper leagues, he isn't a bad option as a low-end FLEX play. It should take a week or two to truly know Rodriguez Jr.'s fantasy value this season, so keep him on the bench for now in Week 1 in standard leagues.
Source: Chris Rodriguez Jr. RotoBaller
Source: Chris Rodriguez Jr. RotoBaller
Bhayshul Tuten Holds RB2 Upside Against Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten will look to prove he is capable of being a starter against the Cleveland Browns in year two under Liam Coen. Many fantasy managers are drafting him high due to his potential volume, but it will take a week of good production and good volume for managers to truly be able to trust him going forward. Tuten was solid in limited action last year as a rookie, putting up four touchdowns and 4.9 yards per carry in the one game he had double-digit carries. He also had a fantastic combine entering the league, so there are plenty of reasons to believe in the second-year pro this season. In a game against one of the worst teams in the NFL, Tuten has a chance to show his breakout potential in what should be a run-heavy game script against the Browns. Even though he may share work with Chris Rodriguez Jr., he should see enough carries to provide RB2 value.
Source: Bhayshul Tuten RotoBaller
Source: Bhayshul Tuten RotoBaller
LeQuint Allen Jr. Questionable to Play in Season Opener
Jacksonville Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen Jr. (hip) is listed as questionable to play in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday at home against the visiting Cleveland Browns, according to team reporter Mia O'Brien. Allen did not practice on Wednesday before being limited on the field on both Thursday and Friday. While the third-string, pass-catching RB has a shot to suit up this weekend, the belief is that he will be sidelined for the start of the 2026 season. Even if the 22-year-old can suit up, he will not be a realistic starting option for fantasy managers after missing practice for three weeks before finally returning on Thursday. If Allen is inactive on Sunday, Ameer Abdullah would step into the RB3 role while looking for scraps behind co-starters Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. Allen should only be stashed in much deeper point-per-reception leagues for RB depth.
Source: Mia O'Brien
Source: Mia O'Brien
LeQuint Allen Jr. Upgrades to Limited Practice
Jacksonville Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen Jr. (hip) upgraded to a limited practice on Thursday after he was held out in the first practice of the week on Wednesday, according to the team. It is a positive for Jacksonville's RB depth heading into the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, but Allen is still not guaranteed to be active this weekend, and he might need to upgrade to a full practice on Friday to be cleared to play. In a new-look Jags backfield in 2026, Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. figure to split most of the work, although when healthy, Allen should have a bigger pass-catching role than he did as a rookie in 2025. The 22-year-old former seventh-rounder from Syracuse only had 23 rushing attempts last year for 94 yards while catching 10 of his 11 targets for 54 yards as a receiver in 17 regular-season games. Even if Allen is active on Sunday against Cleveland, he should be on the bench in deep PPR leagues. He is currently not rostered at all in Yahoo leagues.
Source: Jacksonville Jaguars
Source: Jacksonville Jaguars
LeQuint Allen Jr. Will Be Game-Time Decision in Week 1
Jacksonville Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) will be a game-time decision for Sunday's opener against Cleveland, head coach Liam Coen said, according to Ryan O'Halloran. Allen has been dealing with a soft-tissue injury since August and missed the remainder of training camp after going down. The second-year back had 23 carries for 94 yards and caught 10 passes for 54 yards across 17 games as a rookie, but his value to Jacksonville goes beyond the touches. Allen has earned trust on third downs and in pass protection. Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. are listed as co-starters on Jacksonville's first regular-season depth chart, with Allen behind them. If Allen cannot go Sunday, the Jaguars will have to redistribute some of that passing-down work elsewhere in the backfield.
Source: Ryan O'Halloran
Source: Ryan O'Halloran
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Emerging as Key Part of Backfield
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has emerged as a last-minute riser in fantasy football ahead of the start of the 2026 NFL season. The narrative for several months has been that Bhayshul Tuten would lead the Jags' backfield, and while that still might be the case, it's worth noting that the team's official depth chart lists Tuten and Rodriguez as sharing the No. 1 role. Perhaps we shouldn't be that surprised. After all, Tuten was the backup to Travis Etienne Jr. last year, so he hasn't handled a workhorse role yet. Additionally, there was plenty of buzz during the offseason that head coach Liam Coen expected big things from Rodriguez, whom he coached in college. The exact fantasy outlook for both of these backs remains a bit murky until we've seen how the backfield shakes out through the first game or two. For now, we'd view Tuten as a fringe RB2/RB3 and Rodriguez as a fringe RB3/RB4. That's still enough to get Rodriguez on the fantasy radar in 10+ team leagues, and he's a potential Week 1 flex for managers in 14+ team leagues, especially against a Browns defense that is trending down.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
No Clear RB1 in Jacksonville?
Sports Illustrated's John Shipley thinks that the Jacksonville Jaguars will have such a balanced backfield between running backs Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. in 2026 that "neither RB emerges as the lead back and hits the 1,000-yard mark." There is a path for one of Tuten or Rodriguez to hit the 1,000-yard mark if one of them gets momentum early in the year and never lets up, but when considering the team's backfield depth with LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) and Ameer Abdullah, Shipley thinks it is more likely that we see both Tuten and Rodriguez hit 750-plus yards than one of them going over 1,000 yards. It is not what Tuten's fantasy managers want to hear, especially since C-Rod appears to be the better pass-catcher, and he could also vulture touchdowns from Tuten at the goal line. If you have Tuten rostered and Rodriguez is on the waiver wire, you should add Rodriguez as a valuable handcuff. If it is a near-even 50/50 split between the two RBs, it will be hard to recommend either as more than a weekly RB3/flex play in the Jaguars' offense. On the unofficial depth chart heading into the Week 1 clash against the Cleveland Browns, the Jags have listed Tuten and Rodriguez as co-starters.
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr. Listed as Co-Starters at RB
On the Jacksonville Jaguars' unofficial depth chart heading into Week 1 of the 2026 regular season this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, running backs Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. are listed as co-starters at the RB position. Tuten, a second-year back who had 307 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in his rookie campaign last year, is expected to see most of the early-down rushing opportunities for the Jaguars this year, and he has the most fantasy football upside because of his explosive big-play abilities out of the backfield. However, Rodriguez's presence as a pass-catching and goal-line option for head coach Liam Coen's offense will certainly lower Tuten's overall ceiling in Year 2 in Duvall. Fantasy managers should keep in mind that pass-catching specialist LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) is trending towards missing the season opener, which could give C-Rod more work as a receiver out of the backfield. Going into the Week 1 matchup against Cleveland, Tuten is the preferred fantasy option as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3/flex, while Rodriguez will be more of a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex option in PPR formats.
Source: Mia O'Brien
Source: Mia O'Brien
Jaguars to Ride the "Hot Hand" in Backfield
Jacksonville Jaguars reporter Mia O'Brien reports that the team will go with a running-back-by-committee approach and "ride the hot hand." Bhayshul Tuten has more explosiveness and home-run ability in a backfield that is now without Travis Etienne Jr., but head coach Liam Coen has familiarity with Chris Rodriguez Jr. from his collegiate coaching days at Kentucky, and he could be a thorn in Tuten's side all season long, especially near the goal line. Tuten should be drafted as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3/flex, with C-Rod being a handcuff to him in the later rounds. The 23-year-old Tuten, a fourth-rounder from Virginia Tech last year, averaged 3.7 yards per carry for 307 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 83 carries in 15 regular-season games in his rookie campaign in 2025, adding 10 catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns. Rodriguez has looked like the better pass-catching option in training camp, too, which is notable with third-down back LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) looking unlikely to play in Week 1 this weekend. Tuten is rostered in 96% of Yahoo leagues, with Rodriguez being rostered in 62% of those same formats.
Source: Mia O'Brien
Source: Mia O'Brien
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Could See Increased Role in Week 1
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. could see a larger workload in Week 1, with LeQuint Allen Jr. questionable due to a soft tissue injury. Allen suffered an undisclosed injury during training camp more than two weeks ago and has not practiced since. He was expected to handle obvious passing downs, but with him questionable, Rodriguez could take on more of that role given his knack for pass protection. With the Commanders last season, Rodriguez had 112 carries for 500 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games. Now with Jacksonville, he is expected to be the short-yardage back while second-year back Bhayshul Tuten handles early-down work. A short-yardage back could have a strong day against the Cleveland Browns, who are the biggest underdogs in Week 1. With plenty of scoring opportunities in Jacksonville, Rodriguez could be a low-end FLEX in Week 1, and fantasy managers should consider adding him, especially as a handcuff to Tuten.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
LeQuint Allen Jr. Likely to Miss Week 1
Jacksonville Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) is "most likely" to miss his team's Week 1 contest against the Cleveland Browns, per John Shipley of Sports Illustrated. The 22-year-old has been battling a soft-tissue injury for much of the summer, and it appears that the injury is likely to linger into the start of the regular season. Allen Jr. played a limited role in terms of touches as a rookie in 2025, recording 148 yards from scrimmage on 33 touches across 17 games. However, he specializes as a pass-down back whom Jacksonville relies upon for his pass protection and receiving skills. For as long as Allen Jr. is sidelined, Jaguars running backs Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez could both be in line for a few more snaps and a few more pass-catching opportunities in Jacksonville.
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Rising Amidst Preseason Buzz in Jacksonville
After recording 500 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 112 carries across 11 games for the Washington Commanders in 2025, veteran running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. signed a two-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars for 2026. In Jacksonville, Rodriguez Jr. looks to be competing with second-year back Bhayshul Tuten for the team's RB1 role. While Tuten flashed more explosive upside during his rookie campaign with the Jags, recent reporting out of Jacksonville indicates that Rodriguez Jr. is playing well in practice. The 25-year-old profiles as the more physical runner of Jacksonville's top two backs, which could help earn the majority of the goal-line work. Rodriguez Jr. could also be the Jaguars' top pass-protecting back, particularly while third-down specialist LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) is sidelined by a soft-tissue injury. As a later-round pick in many drafts, Rodriguez Jr. could end up being a value selection for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
