Carlos Hyde start or sit: Week 1 fantasy football advice

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Carlos Hyde will enter the 2021 season with a chance at finding fantasy relevance thanks to an injury. Travis Etienne will not play in his rookie year due to an injury, which opens up more room for Hyde to earn a role with this team starting with a Week 1 matchup against the Houston Texans.

Fantasy Football analysis: Jaguars RB Carlos Hyde

Hyde will enter his eighth season in the NFL and in his second stint with the Jaguars. In 2020, he played for the Seattle Seahawks in a limited role and rushed for 4.4 yards per carry and 356 yards with four touchdowns. Hyde also caught 16 receptions for 93 yards. Even with the injury to Etienne, Hyde will struggle to see a significant number of touches behind James Robinson. The Texans were among the worst defenses against the run last season, and Houston has holes all over their roster heading into 2021.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

Sitting behind Robinson, there is no way to enter Hyde into a fantasy lineup with any confidence even with a nice matchup. Hyde should be considered a No. 5 running back for fantasy purposes as Robinson is likely to dominate the touches after impressing in 2020.