Jaguars : These 5 players must shine vs. Bills in Week 9

Jaguars player that must product vs. Bills No. 4 – RB Carlos Hyde

Heading into the 2021 season, the Jaguars’ running back duo of James Robinson and Travis Etienne looked like a potential top-10 tandem. However, Etienne suffered a Lisfranc injury during the preseason and is out for the year.

Robinson ended up picking up the slack and was one of the best running back in the league since Week 3. The former Redbird was among the NFL’s statistical leaders. He was having a good performance against the Seahawks but had to exit the game with an ankle injury. The following day, head coach Urban Meyer said he was day-to-day and was questionable for Week 9.

If Robinson can’t go against the Bills, veteran Carlos Hyde will get the starting nod. The 2014 second-round pick has been a serviceable running back throughout his NFL career. Meyer acknowledged that pass-blocking isn’t his forte, so it will be worth watching how he performs in this area against the Bills.

Now, it’s not a given that Hyde will start against the Bills but he must be ready to go if Robinson ultimately has to take a couple of games off. Keep in mind that running is the Jaguars’ identity right now. They aren’t built to throw the ball and must remain balanced, that’s why the team’s offensive success could fall on Hyde.