Jacksonville Jaguars: 3 realistic expectations for RB James Robinson

James Robinson will lead the Jacksonville Jaguars in rushing yards.

Ok, so James Robinson won’t be a workhorse running back but that doesn’t mean he will post mediocre numbers. The fact he will have someone to spell him from time to time should help him be even more productive in 2021. Last season, he averaged a healthy 4.46 per carry even though opposing defenses knew he was getting the ball, and the offensive line wasn’t great at run blocking.

The Jaguars brought back all their starting offensive linemen and although the team’s brass expects the unit to improve, they won’t suddenly become the ‘Hogs’. Let’s say they improve a bit and now that the team has a competent quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, defenses won’t be able to stack up the box. Robinson will most likely have wider running lanes and his average per carry should be slightly higher…

If Robinson gets 13 carries per game and averages 4.8 per carry, he would average 998 rushing yards in a 16-game season. Then again, the NFL added another matchup to the calendar in 2021, so the second-year running back would finish with the year with 1,068 yards.

On the other hand, Robinson’s number of targets in the passing game will likely decrease. Etienne is a better receiver out of the backfield and the coaching staff might favor him in obvious passing situations, so expecting Robinson to once again catch 49 passes won’t be feasible and could finish the season with 20 receptions. Either way, he should still have a big role on the Jag’s offense.