Jacksonville Jaguars: 3 realistic expectations for RB Travis Etienne in 2021

Expect Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne to get snubbed.

Travis Etienne will be a key cog in the Jaguars’ offense. However, the odds of him earning accolades such as a Pro Bowl designation, a First-Team All-Pro nod, or the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award are slim for several reasons.

First, running back Najee Harris, whom the Pittsburgh Steelers took with the 24th overall pick, will have a bigger workload, as he won’t share the backfield in “Steel City” but more importantly, Etienne won’t be the rookie with the biggest impact in Jacksonville.

As good as Etienne is, Trevor Lawerence will have a bigger role and a higher chance to earn the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2021. The rookie running back would have to be the kind of playmaker Saquon Barkley had as a rookie for the New York Giants in 2018, when he totaled 2,028 scrimmage yards. That is unlikely to happen with Robinson getting most of the carries.

Things could change in the blink of an eye and Etienne could overtake Robinson as the Jaguars’ lead running back down the road. However, don’t expect that to happen this upcoming season. Etienne might not get any awards at the end of the year but he will still be a key cog in Jacksonville’s offense. After all, if the Jags didn’t think he would be a playmaker, they wouldn’t have used a first-round selection on him.