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Is Tank Bigsby Playing? Analyzing the Latest Injury Update Ahead of Week 5

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Both of the Jaguars' top two running backs were on the injury report all week. Will Tank Bigsby be ready to go in Week 5?

The Jacksonville Jaguars backfield has been a bit of a headache for fantasy managers to decipher this week. While Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby are the clear top two rushers (in that order), both have been listed all week on the injury report. Here we take a look at whether Bigsby is expected to suit up on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, as well as the fantasy football outlook for the second-year back.

Will Tank Bigsby Be Active in Week 5?

Bigsby was limited all three days of practice this week with a neck injury. However, he received no injury designation ahead of Sunday.

The same goes for Etienne, who was questionable all week with a shoulder injury that caused him to miss time during the Week 4 loss to the Houston Texans. Like Bigsby, Etienne has no injury designation, so we should expect a similar split of carries in Week 5.

What Is Bigsby’s Fantasy Value in Week 5 and the Rest of 2024?

Short term, Bigsby is not a startable option. Etienne has played 66% of the offensive snaps this season compared to 18% for Bigsby, and the former’s figure was above 70% the first three weeks prior to his mid-game injury last week.

The good news is that there’s no third running back in the mix. D’Ernest Johnson has had nine carries all season, making Bigsby the clear handcuff to roster.

Long term, Bigsby could be an intriguing breakout candidate in the second half of the season, particularly with Etienne only under contract for one more year (fifth-year team option in 2025).

Bigsby is averaging a whopping 8.2 yards per carry, and while Etienne is still at a healthy 4.6 average, the former has been a much more lethal big-play threat.

Indeed, no player with at least 20 carries this season has a higher ypc average than Bigsby. According to NFL Pro, he has benefited from slightly more favorable blocking compared to Etienne, with an expected yards per carry of 4.3 compared to 3.8 for the latter.

Nevertheless, Bigsbry has exploited that blocking better than Etienne, averaging 3.9 rushing yards over expected per carry, compared to 0.8 over expected for Etienne.

All this is to say that Bigsby would become a must-start option if Etienne were to suffer a more long-term injury or even be traded at the deadline.

Dynasty league managers should also consider stashing Bigsby on their bench. Even if Etienne stays on the roster past the trade deadline, he’ll be the subject of trade speculation in the offseason entering the final year of his contract.

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