Sep 8, 2025 9:24 PM EDT
The Jacksonville Jaguars carried a crowded backfield into Week 1 before trading away their 2024 leading rusher, Tank Bigsby, to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday evening. Let’s explore what this move means for your fantasy football teams going forward.
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With RB Travis Etienne racking up 143 yards in Week 1 and looking like his former self, the Jaguars felt the bruising Bigsby was expendable, but that wasn’t the only incentive behind the trade.
Jacksonville invested a pair of 2025 draft selections into its backfield, adding Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth and LeQuint Allen Jr. in the final round. Both made the roster, and each back offers more versatility than what Bigsby brought to the table.
Tuten is an electric option in a smaller package, running the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.32 seconds. Despite being only 5-foot-9, 206 pounds, he’s noticeably tough — perhaps even to his detriment — as shying away from contact isn’t in his DNA. This exposes him to punishing hits and can create issues with ball security.
Allen is the bigger back of these two at 6-foot, 204 pounds, and more physically suited for tough yardage, but he’s also an accomplished collegiate receiver from the backfield, securing 64 passes in 2024 alone at Syracuse. Allen found the end zone 16 times a year ago and should be the go-to replacement for this aspect of Bigsby’s role.
New Jags head coach Liam Coen is no stranger to relying on committee approaches, successfully employing a two-pronged backfield in Tampa Bay last year with Bucky Irving and Rachaad White. Expect to see a similar situation play out in Jacksonville, especially if Etienne were to miss time. In Week 1, all four backs touched the ball at least twice, though the two rooks combined for as many utilizations as Bigsby’s five handles. Nineteen plays were funneled through Etienne, and that approximately 2-to-1 ratio in favor of the veteran is a fair expectation for now.
Should You Acquire Bhayshul Tuten or LeQuint Allen?
Between Tuten and Allen, fantasy owners should primarily target the former and consider the latter a consolation prize. In the event Etienne were to suffer an injury, Tuten’s skill set more closely aligns, and he’s the smarter bet for the majority of touches in that scenario. He also profiles as being more likely to see weekly action even while Etienne is doing his thing.
Be sure to check your waiver wire to see if either is available. It’s unlikely Tuten will be a free agent in most deeper/competitive settings, however, after being drafted as RB48, on average, entering the year. His ownership rate currently hovers around 38% of leagues polled. Allen is available on more than 90% of wires and is worth an add in leagues of 14-plus teams.
What Does This Trade Mean for Bigsby’s Fantasy Value?
The Eagles made the move to give Saquon Barkley a healthy backup after Will Shipley suffered a rib injury. Veteran AJ Dillon ran three times for 10 yards in Week 1 and offers little as a receiving option if something happened to Barkley. He didn’t even play in 2024 after suffering a neck injury. RB Audric Estime is on the practice squad but also doesn’t factor into the aerial attack.
The deal undoubtedly means Bigsby’s value takes an immediate hit. He goes from being a viable fantasy flier for a cheap touchdown on any given drive all the way down to a seldom-used reserve with little more than handcuff status. Check your wire to see if he’s available should you own Barkley, and anyone looking to stash Bigsby as a speculative depth ought to do so now.
About the author
Fantasy Sports Managing Editor
Since 2002, Bonini has been a leading fantasy football expert, featured in Sports Weekly, Pro Forecast, Cheat Sheets, and Fantasy Index magazines, with frequent appearances on ESPN Radio, SiriusXM, and various podcasts.