Who won Jaguars RB battle between James Robinson, Carlos Hyde following Travis Etienne Injury

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered training camp with an interesting running back situation on their hands.

They were looking at a backfield consisting of 2020 breakout undrafted rookie James Robinson, productive veteran Carlos Hyde, and rookie Travis Etienne, whose selection in the first-round of the 2021 NFL Draft was a curious one considering that they already had Robinson.

Unfortunately for the Jags, they were dealt a huge blow towards the end of camp when Etienne suffered a season-ending foot injury. Now down a potential difference maker, who will be the No. 1 ball-carrier in Duval County?

Verdict

Even before Etienne’s injury, the answer was always going to be Robinson. The 23-year-old back made a name for himself by rushing for over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie last season and even showed his chops in the passing game with 49 receptions for 344 yards and three scores. To take pressure off No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence, expect the Jags to feed Robinson a ton this season.

Fantasy football implications

Robinson is primed to be an RB2 with low RB1 potential this season as one of the rising backs in the league. While much older, the 31-year-old Hyde would be a solid addition on your bench strictly for his usage in off-downs and in the red zone.