Jacksonville Jaguars Top Breakout Candidate in 2026
Newsweek · C · trust 27/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Travis Hunter was drafted second overall last year to be a pillar for the Jacksonville Jaguars . But his rookie season ended after just seven games due to an LCL tear in his right knee. The coaching staff has already said he's expected to have a bigger role this season, specifically on defense, and all of that is why he's the most popular breakout pick on the Jags roster.
But offensively, there's a lot of competition in the receiving room, with Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, and tight end Brenton Strange all competing for targets. And defensively, he should see an uptick in snaps, but he's still working his way back from a major injury, and it may take time before he's fully himself.
Meanwhile, there's another player in Jacksonville who faces less competition and isn't overcoming an injury, second-year running back Bhayshul Tuten.
Tuten's rookie numbers weren't anything special. He finished with just 307 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 83 carries, averaging 3.7 yards per carry, along with 79 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches across 15 games.
However, Tuten ranked among the best backs in football on a per-touch basis, posting a 57.8% rushing success rate, which ranked fifth among all NFL running backs with at least 80 carries. He also posted a 35.8% forced missed-tackle rate through Week 13 alone, which was the second-best mark among rookie backs with at least 30 carries.
And now, the situation has opened up considerably. Travis Etienne, who racked up 1,107 rushing yards last year and has been the Jags' lead back since 2022, is now with the Saints, clearing the way for Tuten to take over as the team's RB1.
It's not just that Etienne is gone. It's that Jacksonville didn't bring in any big names to replace him, sending a clear signal that they like what they have.
Now, the Jags did sign free agent running back Chris Rodriguez Jr., who's coming off a career year in Washington with 500 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on 112 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. And head coach Liam Coen has called it a " truly wide open " backfield heading into training camp.
But Rodriguez played a complementary role to Jacory Croskey-Merritt with the Commanders last year, and never broke out as the lead back over his three seasons in Washington. There's no reason to believe anything will be any different with the Jaguars.
Tuten, a 5-foot-9, 210-pound back, ran a 4.32 40-time at the NFL Combine in 2025 and rushed for 1,159 yards and 15 touchdowns across 11 games in his last season at Virginia Tech before getting drafted to the NFL. He's the most explosive option in the Jags' backfield and has the most upside of anyone in the rotation.
Jacksonville's offensive line remains intact, and they just helped Etienne produce one of the best seasons of his career. The rushing game was a major component in the Jaguars' 13-4 season last year, and somebody will need to step up this season if they want to repeat that success.
There's a chance they take on more of a committee approach, but my bet is on Tuten to break out and emerge as one of the most exciting young backs in the NFL.
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