Travis Etienne

Although it was an up-and-down season for Etienne, his delayed NFL debut was generally promising, and his big-play ability in particular difficult to ignore. All Etienne did at Clemson was make big plays, producing explosively in a way that only a few running backs in college football history ever have, so it was always expected he'd be a big-play threat in the NFL. Etienne confirmed in 2022 that he's among the most dangerous long-range threats at running back in the league. The catch is that the rest of his game was arguably lacking -- Etienne struggled with fumbles (five) and had occasional issues with focus drops, including a wide-open, would-be touchdown in Week 1, and he didn't always churn out consistent yardage in between the big plays. As much as it's great to see Etienne peel off 20- and 40-yard carries at a league-leading pace, it would go a long way for his production and the Jaguars offense if he could avoid going cold in between the big plays. Despite whatever other particulars, it's arguable that the main story of Etienne's 2022 season is that he appeared fully recovered from the Lisfranc fracture that ended his rookie year in training camp. Few injuries are more disturbing for a running back, yet Etienne thankfully appears to be well past it.

Taken with the 25th overall pick in last year's draft, Etienne was expected to reunite with college teammate Trevor Lawrence and form the heart of the Jaguars' dynamic new offense. The first hint things were about to go wildly off script for Jacksonville in 2021 came when the running back suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury in the second preseason game. That's a major speed bump for Etienne, who looked like the complete package as a prospect, combining good speed with excellent elusiveness and vision and polished receiving skills, earning him Alvin Kamara comps. The track record for players returning from Lisfranc injuries has been spotty, but Etienne was reported to be ahead of schedule in his rehab in March, a good sign for his ability to make a full recovery. James Robinson also remains on the roster for Jacksonville — another potential complicating factor — but he's recovering from a season-ending Achilles tear suffered in late December. New coach Doug Pederson should bring more than just stability to the team, as his teams have finished top 10 in rushing yards in five of his eight seasons as either a head coach or offensive coordinator in the NFL. Add in some progress from Lawrence, and Etienne could have a big season even if he loses some touches to Robinson.

There's very little not to like about Etienne. Or at least there wasn't until he suffered a season-ending injury in an August exhibition. An explosive runner with sprinter's speed in the open field, the Clemson product routinely made college defenders look like young children chasing after their older brother, as he scampered past, around and through whoever was in his path. He showed great patience and vision in waiting for holes to develop, and his power and agility in traffic led to big plays even when he seemed to be bottled up, drawing comparisons to Alvin Kamara in the process. Etienne also developed into a capable receiver, and he showed both ability and enthusiasm as a pass protector, a rarity for most running backs coming out of college. It was enough to land him in the first round, going 25th overall to a Jaguars team that already had a more-than-capable RB in James Robinson, who handled a three-down role for much of last season. Robinson could be tasked with a similar role this year, but Etienne should return healthy next offseason, with the early timing of his injury potentially allowing for a normal 2022.