Every Thursday during the 2022 NFL season, we're going to talk fantasy football here. And we'll mix it up, too. The matchups to play (or avoid), scheme trends, tape study and more.
This week, I'm going to focus on five players who are starting in my lineups. Players I targeted early this summer as prime fits for RB2s, flex plays and WR3s.
And we'll begin in Jacksonville, Florida, where one running back's play speed was jumping off the screen in August.
Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Anyone who watched Etienne this preseason knows what I'm talking about here with the Jags running back. You could feel his speed. Dynamic versatility. And the dual-threat traits in a new Jacksonville offensive system that will deploy Etienne as a pass-catcher, like we saw during his time at Clemson, where he logged 102 career receptions.
Now, James Robinson (Achilles) is slated to play in the Jacksonville backfield on Sunday versus Washington, too. While that will cut into Etienne's total volume, I still have him ranked as my RB16 this week in PPR formats against a zone-heavy Commanders defense. Last season, Washington played zone coverage on 65.4% of coverage snaps, the fifth most in the league. Soft windows there for Etienne on checkdowns, unders and flats ... in addition to the juice he brings in the run game. This is a solid matchup for the second-year back.
