Travis Etienne making it easy for the Jaguars to give Tank Bigsby a bigger workload

Running back Travis Etienne was a game-changer for the Jacksonville Jaguars the past two seasons. However, he's been unremarkable in 2024. Meanwhile, sophomore Tank Bigsby is making the most of his chances and thriving. Based on how the two have played, the choice is easy for the Jags: Bigsby must be the top option in the backfield moving forward.

After an underwhelming rookie campaign, Bigsby has turned the corner in 2024. He's making an impact on both the offense and special teams. Against the Chicago Bears in Week 6, he had a 41-yard return early in the game. Etienne proceeded to fumble on the next play.

The fumble was ultimately overturned but the truth is that Etienne has been lagging behind Bigsby. Sure, the former has been dealing with a shoulder injury and hasn't been necessarily dreadful, toting the rock 53 yards for 231 yards with two touchdowns. However, his sophomore counterpart has outplayed him and it's not even close.

Whereas Etienne is averaging 4.4 yards per tote, Bigsby is gaining 8.0 yards on average per carry. Moreover, he's broken off several big runs in limited opportunities. Granted, the coaching staff could use a committee but that shouldn't deter them from giving the former Auburn Tiger a bigger workload.

Tank Bigsby is outplaying Travis Etienne and the Jaguars must make a decision

On the one hand, the Jacksonville Jaguars must be thrilled that Tank Bigsby put it all together in his second year. On the other hand, it's a bit of a surprise to see Travis Etienne be a non-factor in 2024. This is especially puzzling when you take into account that he's coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and his ability to break tackles and churn out was second to none. But that was then and this is now.

The Jags must ride with the hot hand, which currently is Bigsby. This doesn't mean they should outright bench Etienne but they should consider decreasing his workload. Simply put, if he's not making an impact right now, why should he get playing time?

You could argue that Etienne's in a funk, and you're probably right. Nobody is suggesting that the Jags trade him. Instead, keeping him on the sidelines for the time being seems like a reasonable course of action. Sure, he was a first-round pick and Bigsby is a third-round, but their draft status should play a role in whatever decision the team's brass make.

Currently, Jacksonville is trying to turn things around after going 1-4 to start the 2024 season. They'll their playmakers to step up and any changes they can make could be of help. Similarly, they cannot lean on players that aren't contributing. The bottom line is that Tank Bigby is showing out and Travis Etienne is not. The Jaguars must act accordi

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