Is Tank Bigsby The Jaguars RB2 Behind Travis Etienne Jr.? Fantasy Football Outlook

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected running back Tank Bigsby in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Bigsby played three seasons at Auburn, where he totaled 2,903 rush yards and 25 touchdowns. In his final season, he ran for 970 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Bigsby will now have the opportunity to back up versatile running back Travis Etienne Jr. He'll compete with JaMycal Hasty and D'Ernest Johnson Jr. for the RB2 job in Jacksonville in his first year.  

Will Bigsby be the Jaguars' RB2 behind Etienne? What is the rookie's fantasy outlook this season? Let's dive in. 

Is Tank Bigsby The Jaguars RB2 Behind Travis Etienne Jr.?

It's easy to assume Tank Bigsby will be backing up Travis Etienne Jr. in his first NFL season. He's an exciting rookie who is hungry to make a mark in the league right away. The Jaguars also spent a day two draft pick on the running back, so he'll likely see many opportunities in the backfield. D'Ernest Johnson Jr. and JaMycal Hasty have also been RB3s for most of their careers.

Johnson played four seasons with the Cleveland Browns from 2019 to 2022. He was the backup for Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt over the years. The former Browns' running back did start two games in 2021 where ran the ball 41 times for 245 yards and one touchdown. 

With Hasty, he was the Jaguars' RB2 last year after James Robinson was traded to the New York Jets. The 26-year-old back didn't get many chances on offense but did have two five-plus catch performances. Despite that, though, the rookie Bigsby should be the favorite to back up Etienne this season. 

Tank Bigsby Fantasy Football Outlook

The reports this offseason have circled around the Jaguars wanting to limit the workload of Etienne to keep him fresh and healthy. Last year, the running back played 72% of the snaps from Week 7 to the end of the season – excluding Week 12 when he left hurt.

Therefore, it makes sense for Jacksonville to use Bigsby after spending a third-round pick on him. The rookie should also see most of the goal-line work, which will boost his fantasy value. With Etienne, Hasty, and Johnson all measuring under 6 feet tall, the new Jaguars' running back will likely be the main guy in short-yardage situations. 

However, it might be tough to rely on Bigsby in fantasy every week as a backup in Jacksonville. He might struggle to score solid fantasy points if he doesn't get in the endzone. The rookie is probably better served as a handcuff to Etienne in drafts this season.

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