The Jacksonville Jaguars will face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding RB Travis Etienne Jr.
Is Travis Etienne Playing in Week 18?
Etienne is not listed on the injury report this week, so barring any setbacks, he is on track to play this weekend.
We’ll continue to monitor the Jaguars’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Travis Etienne in Week 18?
I’m a man of data. I approach life with the idea that with increased information comes increased confidence.
I’ve been in this industry for over a decade, and this Jacksonville backfield has me questioning everything.
Week 9:
- Travis Etienne Jr.: 31.4% of snaps
- Tank Bigsby: 54.9% of snaps
Week 10:
- Etienne: 67.4% of snaps
- Bigsby: 23.3% of snaps
Week 13:
- Etienne: 52.2% of snaps
- Bigsby: 46.3% of snaps
Week 14:
- Etienne: 48.3% of snaps
- Bigsby: 51.7% of snaps
Week 15:
- Etienne: 70.1% of snaps
- Bigsby: 28.6% of snaps
Week 16:
- Etienne: 50.8% of snaps
- Bigsby: 29.5% of snaps
Week 17:
- Etienne: 47.4% of snaps
- Bigsby: 40.4% of snaps
We got a commitment from this team back in Week 15, seemingly out of nowhere, and they clearly felt bad about giving us a good feel for this situation, so now they are back to dividing a tiny pie multiple ways.
Last week, Etienne produced 33% under expectation — and he was the more effective of the two (Bigsby: -52.9%). Committees are a pain in any situation, but in an offense that has cleared 20 points just once in their past seven games, it’s simply not worth the effort to maybe guess right.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 18 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Travis Etienne’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 18
As of Sunday, Etienne is projected to score 12.5 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 12.2 rushing attempts for 53 yards and 0.4 touchdowns. It also includes 2.6 receptions for 19.8 yards and 0 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
PFN Insight on the Colts' Defense
The Colts' Week 17 faceplant against the Giants wasn't the worst defensive grade of the season, but it was the most embarrassing. Indianapolis recorded a 65.0 (D) grade in eliminating itself from playoff contention, its worst Defense+ grade all year.
The Colts averaged a mind-numbing -1.19 EPA per dropback on defense in this game. For context, that was the worst by any team all season and the worst by any team since the Dolphins in Week 17 last year against the Ravens.
Miami at least has the excuse of their debacle coming against that season's MVP winner and the top seed in the AFC. Indy faced a Giants offense that ranked 31st in EPA per dropback and had scored eight offensive touchdowns in eight home games all season. New York's offense found the end zone five times on Sunday.
Indianapolis' defense has seen little improvement over the last three seasons since Shane Steichen became head coach and is actually worse this year than over the last two combined. Gus Bradley's second season as defensive coordinator hasn't brought meaningful improvement, which could result in a change now that the Colts have belly-flopped out of the playoffs.
For more insight on all other team defenses, head to our PFN Defense+ Metric Analysis.
Travis Etienne’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 7:00 AM ET on Sunday, January 5. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Week 18 Consensus Superflex Rankings.
Week 18 RB PPR Rankings
1) Bijan Robinson | ATL (vs. CAR)
2) Jahmyr Gibbs | DET (vs. MIN)
3) Derrick Henry | BAL (vs. CLE)
4) Jonathan Taylor | IND (vs. JAX)
5) Josh Jacobs | GB (vs. CHI)
6) Bucky Irving | TB (vs. NO)
7) Chase Brown | CIN (at PIT)
8) Aaron Jones | MIN (at DET)
9) De'Von Achane | MIA (at NYJ)
10) Zach Charbonnet | SEA (at LAR)
11) Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS (at DAL)
12) Breece Hall | NYJ (vs. MIA)
13) Ray Davis | BUF (at NE)
14) D'Andre Swift | CHI (at GB)
15) Rico Dowdle | DAL (vs. WAS)
16) Isaac Guerendo | SF (at ARI)
17) J.K. Dobbins | LAC (at LV)
18) Najee Harris | PIT (vs. CIN)
19) Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN (vs. KC)
20) Joe Mixon | HOU (at TEN)
21) Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG (at PHI)
22) Kenneth Gainwell | PHI (vs. NYG)
23) Blake Corum | LAR (vs. SEA)
24) Tank Bigsby | JAX (at IND)
25) Jaylen Warren | PIT (vs. CIN)
26) Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX (at IND)
27) Rhamondre Stevenson | NE (vs. BUF)
28) Michael Carter | ARI (vs. SF)
29) Rachaad White | TB (vs. NO)
30) D'Onta Foreman | CLE (at BAL)
31) Kimani Vidal | LAC (at LV)
32) Miles Sanders | CAR (at ATL)
33) Tyler Allgeier | ATL (vs. CAR)
34) Audric Estimé | DEN (vs. KC)
35) Will Shipley | PHI (vs. NYG)
36) Alexander Mattison | LV (vs. LAC)
37) Antonio Gibson | NE (vs. BUF)
38) Javonte Williams | DEN (vs. KC)
39) Raheem Blackshear | CAR (at ATL)
40) Ty Johnson | BUF (at NE)
41) Devin Singletary | NYG (at PHI)
42) Cam Akers | MIN (at DET)
43) Raheem Mostert | MIA (at NYJ)
44) Roschon Johnson | CHI (at GB)
45) Craig Reynolds | DET (vs. MIN)
46) Kenny McIntosh | SEA (at LAR)
47) Jeremy McNichols | WAS (at DAL)
48) Cordarrelle Patterson | PIT (vs. CIN)
49) Braelon Allen | NYJ (vs. MIA)
50) Julius Chestnut | TEN (vs. HOU)
51) Samaje Perine | KC (at DEN)
52) Patrick Taylor Jr. | SF (at ARI)
53) Sean Tucker | TB (vs. NO)
54) Jamaal Williams | NO (at TB)
55) Isaiah Davis | NYJ (vs. MIA)
56) Chris Brooks | GB (vs. CHI)
57) Pierre Strong Jr. | CLE (at BAL)
58) Clyde Edwards-Helaire | NO (at TB)
59) Emanuel Wilson | GB (vs. CHI)
60) Mike Boone | CAR (at ATL)
61) Tony Pollard | TEN (vs. HOU)
62) DeeJay Dallas | ARI (vs. SF)
63) Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS (at DAL)
64) Dare Ogunbowale | HOU (at TEN)
65) Rasheen Ali | BAL (vs. CLE)
66) Khalil Herbert | CIN (at PIT)
67) Trey Sermon | IND (vs. JAX)
68) Hassan Haskins | LAC (at LV)
69) Kyle Juszczyk | SF (at ARI)
70) Dameon Pierce | HOU (at TEN)
71) Jaylen Wright | MIA (at NYJ)
72) Carson Steele | KC (at DEN)
73) Sione Vaki | DET (vs. MIN)
74) Hunter Luepke | DAL (vs. WAS)
75) Tyler Goodson | IND (vs. JAX)
76) Ke'Shawn Vaughn | SF (at ARI)
77) Alec Ingold | MIA (at NYJ)
78) C.J. Ham | MIN (at DET)
79) Michael Burton | DEN (vs. KC)
80) D'Ernest Johnson | JAX (at IND)
81) Jeff Wilson Jr. | MIA (at NYJ)
82) Eric Gray | NYG (at PHI)
83) Jermar Jefferson | DET (vs. MIN)
84) Patrick Ricard | BAL (vs. CLE)
85) Joshua Kelley | NYG (at PHI)
86) Ty Chandler | MIN (at DET)
87) Israel Abanikanda | SF (at ARI)
88) Adam Prentice | NO (at TB)
89) Dylan Laube | LV (vs. LAC)
90) JaMycal Hasty | NE (vs. BUF)
91) George Holani | SEA (at LAR)
92) James Cook | BUF (at NE)
Jaguars at Colts Trends and Insights
Jacksonville Jaguars
Team: The Jaguars went on bye after their 46-point loss in Detroit. Since then, they’ve played five straight one-score games (2-3 in those contests).
QB: On 19 play-action throws over the past three weeks, Mac Jones has two touchdowns and zero interceptions (other 88 throws: three touchdowns and two interceptions)
Offense: Jacksonville has converted all three of their red zone trips into touchdowns over their past two games (they were five-of-11 over their previous four games).
Defense: The Jags allowed the Titans to gain 41.1 yards per drive on Sunday, the third-highest mark they’ve allowed this season.
Fantasy: Since 2020, three times has a rookie receiver posted consecutive games with 85 receiving yards and a touchdown catch:
- Amon-Ra St. Brown (2021)
- Brian Thomas Jr. (Weeks 15-17)
- Brian Thomas Jr. (Weeks 4-5)
BTJ is the only receiver in NFL history with two such streaks as a rookie. If he can post a fourth straight game in Week 18, he’ll join Randy Moss (1998), St. Brown (2021), and Odell Beckham Jr. (2014) as the only players to accomplish that feat.
Betting: Jacksonville is 6-1 ATS in their past seven road divisional games (2-0 this season despite scoring 30 points and allowing 30 points).
Indianapolis Colts
Team: Should Colts fans like Sunday’s result? It locked in a losing season—Indianapolis has improved its win total by at least four games following each of its past six losing campaigns.
QB: Joe Flacco has 56 fewer pass attempts than Anthony Richardson this season – he has three more touchdown tosses and 13 more completions.
Offense: Indianapolis has averaged 2.75+ points per drive in consecutive games, matching their total of such games through the first 15 weeks.
Defense: The Colts have held the Packers, Lions, Bills, and Vikings all under 2.5 points per drive – the Patriots, Texans, Jaguars, and Giants (3.17 on Sunday) have all cleared that rate against Indianapolis this season.
Fantasy: Jonathan Taylor has at least 29 carries, 125 rushing yards, and a pair of rushing scores in consecutive games – he is the eighth player ever to hit all of those benchmarks in two straight games, the first since Julius Jones did it for the Cowboys in 2004.
Betting: The Colts are 3-1 ATS in their past four home divisional games, not bad for a team that had covered just two of their previous 11 such games.