Takeaways from Jaguars Week 1 depth chart: Travis Etienne starting at RB

1. The Jaguars could be taking a conservative approach with James Robinson

James Robinson said earlier this year that he expected to be ready for the season opener and to nobody’s surprise, he will suit up against the Commanders. On the other hand, the former Illinois State Redbird sits behind Travis Etienne on the depth chart.

There are different ways to look at the Jags’ decision to list Etienne as the top running back and all of them make sense. For starters, Robinson tore his Achilles last December and even though he’s already practicing at full speed, he hasn’t been exposed to getting hit. Also, the coaching staff doesn’t need to rush him back with Etienne back in the fold.

Sure, the Jaguars would probably like to split their workload evenly but they don’t have to, especially so early in the season. They’re better off seeing how Robinson’s body responds in Week 1 and they can progressively increase his playing time. This isn’t like last year, when Urban Meyer played favorites and gave carries to Carlos Hyde even though Robinson was without a doubt the better player of the two.

By the season’s end, Jacksonville could have one of the most dynamic backfields in the NFL. For the time being, it’s good to see Robinson be ready to take on the Commanders. Once he shows he can take on a bigger role, he will get more carries and remind everyone how good he was last year in spite of his limited workload and his injury.