2025 Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Preview
2025 Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Preview The Jacksonville Jaguars are at a pivotal juncture, with new head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone tasked with turning around a franchise that stumbled to a 4-13 record in 2024. Despite high expectations for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the former No. 1 overall pick has yet to realize his potential, and the clock is ticking to justify his massive contract extension. Lawrence’s 2024 season was plagued by inconsistency and a shoulder injury that required surgery. He completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 2,045 yards, with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions before missing most of the second half of the season. Coen, known for his offensive acumen, was hired to stabilize the quarterback position and unlock Lawrence’s potential. The Jaguars made roster tweaks to bolster the offense, but poor play-calling and offensive line struggles in 2024 exposed vulnerabilities. The unit returns LT Cam Robinson and RG Brandon Scherff, but the loss of depth pieces and injuries exposed the group’s fragility. Running back Travis Etienne’s efficiency continued to erode after a strong rookie showing. Etienne dipped to 3.7 yards per carry and scored only twice while losing touches to Tank Bigsby. Fourth-round rookie Bhayshul Tuten was one of the Combine’s fastest risers and is a legitimate sleeper to unseat Etienne. Coen has preached about looking forward and creating a new culture in Jacksonville. Expectations are that the committee backfield approach will continue, with Bigsby handling more of an early-down role and Etienne or Tuten being used in the passing game and as a change-of-pace option. It’s a situation for fantasy managers to monitor this summer, but not one to necessarily target. Jacksonville’s passing game ranked 24th with 204.5 yards per game, hindered by Lawrence’s struggles and a lack of cohesion. The obvious bright spot was No. 23 overall pick Brian Thomas Jr. Thomas posted overall WR5 numbers in his rookie campaign, catching 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 scores en route to making the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Thomas is one of the top young wideouts in the league and warrants first-round attention in every format. New GM James Gladstone announced the team’s bold new direction by making a huge trade up to select Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick. Early indications are that Hunter will primarily play wide receiver, making him an intriguing sleeper as the Jags’ WR2. Ancillary WR Parker Washington emerged as a reliable No. 2 option, catching three touchdowns in his final six games. Washington will compete with Dyami Brown for WR3/4 duties. TE Evan Engram was released, freeing up Brenton Strange to take over as the starter. Strange flashed decent pass-catching ability in his second season and offers weekly streaming value for fantasy managers who ‘punt’ the position on draft day. Fantasy Grade: C+ QB Lawrence, Trevor, JAX [QB1] Sleeper Trevor Lawrence’s fourth season ended prematurely after a nasty hit resulted in a season-ending concussion. Lawrence also had surgery to repair his AC joint on his left (non-throwing) arm. He’s expected to be fully healthy and ready to learn an aggressive new system championed by new head coach Liam Coen. The Buccaneers ranked 3rd in total offense and 4th in points in Coen’s one season as Tampa’s offensive coordinator. And Lawrence has the athleticism and arm to be a good fit. Jacksonville also has the league’s sixth-easiest schedule in 2025. Lawrence should be an excellent value coming off his worst season. ADVICE: Late-round sleeper to contend for top 12 numbers. RB Etienne, Travis, JAX [RB1] After consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaigns, Travis Etienne fell out of favor with Jacksonville’s previous regime. He rushed for a career-low 3.7 yards per carry and 558 yards last season, while Tank Bigsby took on a larger share of the workload. Now, the new regime added Travis Hunter and used a fourth-rounder on surging Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten. There are reports that Etienne, who is entering a contract season, could be on the trade block. His 2025 season has a wide range of possible outcomes, from an undervalued RB3 to a barely fantasy-relevant committee back. Draft (or fade) accordingly. ADVICE: Boom/Bust RB3 who may need a change of scenery. RB Bigsby, Tank, JAX [RB2] Bigsby was Jacksonville’s most effective runner last season, which forced Travis Etienne into a reduced role. Bigsby ranked 6th in juke rate (28.6 percent) and produced eight explosive runs. He’s got deceptive speed and breakaway ability, but doesn’t offer much receiving ability. Additionally, the Jaguars are breaking in a new regime that may not use their backs the same. And that new staff also just invested a fourth-round pick on surging Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten, one of the 2025 NFL Combine’s fastest risers. Bigsby is a committee back with plus short-yardage ability and limited upside due to a lack of catches. ADVICE: Likely to be part of a rotation. limiting his potential to be more than a situational flex option. RB Tuten, Bhayshul, JAX [RB3] One of the draft’s fastest risers after an impressive NFL Combine showing, Bhayshul Tuten is a PPR sleeper with explosive potential. At 5-9 and 206 pounds, Tuten’s 4.32 40-yard dash (100th percentile) and 118.3 speed score (98th percentile) scream big-play ability. In 2024 at Virginia Tech, he posted 1,159 rushing yards, 15 TDs, and caught 23 receptions. His 4.18 YAC/attempt and 54 percent breakaway run percentage rank elite. Tuten’s nine fumbles raise concerns, but his 10.2 target share and zone-scheme fit make him a stash. Travis Etienne’s contract is also expiring after an ineffective 2025 campaign. UPDATE: Tuten fumbled his first touch of the preseason, bringing up a recurring issue. ADVICE: Wide range of outcomes, but has massive big-play potential in Liam Coen’s offense. WR Thomas Jr., Brian, JAX [WR1] Thomas Jr. emerged as a key target in Jacksonville’s offense, especially after the departure of other pass-catchers. He averaged nearly 100 yards per game over the final stretch of 2024. Thomas ended the season with 2.45 yards
2024 Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Preview
2024 Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Preview The 30th season in Jacksonville Jaguars history sees the club at a crossroads. After an 8-3 start, the team lost five of their final six to miss the playoffs. With the division-rival Texans surging and
The 30th season in Jacksonville Jaguars history sees the club at a crossroads. After an 8-3 start, the team lost five of their final six to miss the playoffs. With the division-rival Texans surging and facing a tough schedule, Doug Pederson has his work cut out in 2024.
QB Trevor Lawrence saw his numbers dip slightly in 2023. Lawrence rushed for a career-best 339 yards but his passing efficiency and production declined. He also missed the first game of his career, resulting in Lawrence finishing outside the top 12 fantasy scorers after finishing as QB7 in 2022.
Still, Lawrence is a good runner who will produce 4,000 passing yards and will be in a good position to challenge for fantasy QB1 production again. Drafters will also benefit from a slight dip in T-Law’s ADP.
The loss of Jacksonville’s top receiver (Calvin Ridley) will hurt. Enter Gabe Davis, who signed a three-year $39 million deal to act as the Jags’ main perimeter and deep threat. Davis was an erratic producer in Buffalo, with five 20-plus point games interspersed with four outings with zero points. The Jaguars and fantasy managers will need Pederson to unlock consistent targets for Davis to come anywhere near Ridley’s production.
Christian Kirk should reclaim his role as Jacksonville’s top wideout. Kirk missed five starts and only eclipsed 100-plus yards twice last season. With Ridley’s 22.4% target share now available, Kirk is a good bet to surpass 100 targets. Kirk is an excellent mid-round value.
After trading down, Jacksonville also added talented LSU rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr. to the fold. Thomas has an outstanding blend of size (6-3, 209) and speed and is in play for deep-ball shots.
TE Evan Engram led the club in targets and target share while leading all NFL tight ends with 114 receptions. That insane volume led to Engram posting TE2 numbers in PPR formats. However, he’s unlikely to repeat his position-leading 143 targets with the added target competition.
RB Travis Etienne posted overall RB3 numbers thanks to a career-best 12 touchdowns. After surpassing five yards per carry in 2022, Etienne struggled to 3.8 yards per tote last season. Volume (325 touches ranked third) and that red-zone prowess were significant factors in his strong fantasy showing.
Pederson has indicated that D’Ernest Johnson and Tank Bigsby will be more involved in 2024. Additionally, fifth-round rookie Keiland Robinson adds depth. If these ancillary weapons are more involved it will be hard for Etienne to replicate last year’s production.
From a fantasy perspective, the Jaguars have quality options at every position but lack depth. There’s plenty of appeal but a Jags stack should be approached with caution.
Quarterbacks
QB TREVOR LAWRENCE – SOLID/SAFE PICK
After a rough start, Trevor Lawrence had five weekly QB1 finishes in his final seven starts to post his second consecutive top-12 fantasy season. Although the passing numbers aren’t overwhelming, Lawrence bolsters his value by averaging a healthy 19.3 rushing yards per game with 11 TD runs in three seasons. Lawrence’s fourth season sees him at a crossroads. He hasn’t developed into the superstar prospect many considered him and the Jaguars are just 20-30 during Lawrence’s career. However, he’s been a solid, if unspectacular fantasy option. Jacksonville will need inconsistent Gabe Davis to step up big in place of the departed Calvin Ridley if Lawrecne is going to post his third QB1 finish in four years. ADVICE: Decent target with limited ceiling…