Jacksonville Jaguars: 3 realistic expectations for RB James Robinson

The Jacksonville Jaguars sophomore running back won’t get many accolades.

As talented as Robinson was in 2020, he didn’t get the recognition he deserved for several reasons. First, the Jaguars weren’t very good, so his feats were overshadowed by the team’s inability to win games. Even though he totaled the most scrimmage yards in NFL history, this Jacksonville team lost 15 straight games. Also, fellow rookie Antonio Gibson scored 11 rushing touchdowns while the former Redbird only had seven trips to the end zone.

Also, quarterbacks garner more attention than running backs so it wasn’t surprising to see Justin Herbert earn the 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award after having an outstanding campaign for the Los Angeles Chargers. If there’s a silver lining is that Pro Football Focus named Robinson the biggest surprise at running back in 2020. Nevertheless, it feels like the Jaguars’ running back didn’t get as much credit as he deserved and won’t get much in 2021 either.

Even if Robinson crosses the 1,000-yard barrier (or gets close to it), it will be very difficult for him to get a Pro Bowl nod, let alone an All-Pro designation and it could be unrealistic to expect him to do so.

The sophomore will still be the Jaguars’ primary running back but will now work in tandem with Etienne. Last season, the Jaguars’ running game ranked 28th in yards and 31st in touchdowns, and taking away some carries from Robinson might benefit the team, so even if his individual production takes a hit, the Jaguars rushing attack will be in better shape than it was in 2020.