Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne enjoyed a strong first season in the NFL in 2022 after missing his entire rookie year due to injury. But expectations for Etienne are even higher in 2023, as Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson recently outlined while speaking to the media on Wednesday. Pederson said that the “next step” for Etienne is “attacking downhill”, indicating that he could potentially push for a 1,600-1,700-yard rushing season, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com.
“That's the next step for him, I mean it was his rookie year,” Pederson said. “You don't just hand a guy a ball and let him go run, sometimes that happens but there's that skill and ability to anticipate a hole. We always talk about speed through the hole, not to the hole type of thing. He's really embraced that this training camp. That, to me, is the next step for him and that 11-12-13, now the yards start creeping up, and maybe he's pushing 1,600-1,700 yards as a rusher.”
Pederson said the Jaguars have been emphasizing “speed through the hole” to Etienne, an area the head coach said the running back is excelling in at training camp.
Etienne tallied 1,125 rushing yards, adding 316 yards through the air in 2022. His ability to impact the game as a pass-catcher has made him a popular pick in fantasy football, especially in PPR (point per reception) leagues.
But if Etienne can take a giant leap forward as a runner, it could make him worth targeting as a running back with RB1 upside in Rounds 3 and 4 of fantasy football drafts regardless of format.
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