Coen: More of a committee RB approach in 2026

Despite Tuten impressing in training camp per all eyes on the ground and Rodriguez being sidelined for most of the offseason with a foot injury, it remains a split backfield. That’s not a particularly auspicious sign for Tuten, though we imagine this will be a hot hand backfield and probably split in a way where no one actually leaves happy anyway with LeQuint Allen also siphoning third-down plays. The Jaguars have said they’re not playing their starters in the preseason, so this may remain a murky situation through the end of draft season.

Rodriguez got some snaps between the 20s as well, rotating in behind RB Bhayshul Tuten. Per Sports Illustrated’s John Shipley, Rodriguez “got most, if not all, of the goal-line type reps.” In a separate article, Shipley notes that the Jaguars’ running back usage at last year’s scrimmage did not carry over into the regular season, and said it would be “dangerous to use the scrimmage as a data point.” The Jaguars have been easing Rodriguez back into action in recent weeks, following foot surgery. We suppose it is possible that they were just giving him an extended look in this situation. Regardless, at 5'11/224, Rodriguez has the prototypical size for this type of role. Tracking his practice and preseason usage will be worthwhile.

Tuten operated as the starter, but “eventually, the Jaguars settled into a rotation where Tuten would start the drives before pass-protection specialist RB LeQuint Allen took over on third down, and RB Chris Rodriguez would enter the lineup when the Jaguars got within the 10-yard line. We still don’t know if Allen owns the two-minute drill role, but we know the team values his passing game skill set. He should be considered the favorite for both passing down gigs. If this overall rotation accurately reflects coach Liam Coen’s intentions, Tuten will have a difficult time returning value at his current ADP. That said, Sports Illustrated’s John Shipley notes that “last year’s scrimmage would have told you that Tank Bigsby was the Jaguars’ RB1,” so today’s roles may not be set in stone. Preseason usage could be the biggest tell. Stay tuned.

This admittedly isn’t much of an update, but it is something. Rodriguez took his first two reps in team drills at the Jaguars’ fourth training camp practice on Sunday. He took one handoff from QB Nick Mullens and one from starting QB Trevor Lawrence. Rodriguez’s return from foot surgery has been slow going. The Jaguars will host their first padded practice tomorrow. Upgrading to two team-drill reps does not suggest Rodriguez is ready for contact, but we’ll find out soon enough. For now, RB Bhayshul Tuten has the inside track to the starting job.

Shipley acknowledges that he keeps writing about how good Tuten has looked, but he reasonably counters that he can only report what he’s seeing. Evidently, he’s seeing Tuten “building a lot of momentum” while RB Chris Rodriguez (foot) is stuck in individual drills. Drafting players in ambiguous backfields has been an established, sharp strategy for years now. Although this bunch could be losing its ambiguity a tad, Tuten’s Rounds 5-6 best ball ADP could still end up being a bargain.

That timeline his far more ambiguous than we had previously thought, even though Rodriguez is currently participating in individual drills at training camp. Head coach Liam Coen later added, “We’re trying to get him back without any sort of hiccups or bumps.” It sounds like workload management more so than any risk of Rodriguez actually missing the Jags’ opener. Still, needing your training camps managed because of an offseason foot procedure isn’t ideal. With some lingering concerns around this foot issue, Bhayshul Tuten is pulling away as the clear favorite to lead the Jags in carries this year.

Rodriguez underwent foot surgery in the offseason and missed all of OTAs and minicamp. He is ready to go for training camp, but the team is taking things slowly and holding him out of team drills for now. The extra reps should give second-year back Bhayshul Tuten a small leg up in terms of Week 1 carries, but this ultimately projects as a two-man committee to start the year.

Speaking on The Schrager Hour, Coen talked up Tuten’s ability to create yards after contact and his straight-line speed. Coen also noted Tuten’s prowess as a red zone runner. Tuten is the presumed starter with Travis Etienne gone, but Chris Rodriguez should still see plenty of work. Coen also coached Rodriguez at Kentucky, giving him some extra familiarity with the offense. Tuten is the higher-upside bet, and early drafters are treating him as such, selecting him as the RB25 compared to RB42 for Rodriguez. It’s likely that one of these two backs pays off their ADP, but it will be hard for both to return value in the same season.

The drum beat continues to grow louder for Rodriguez, who, as Howe pointed out, had a big fan in head coach Liam Coen during their one-year stint together at the University of Kentucky. The Jaguars’ backfield continues to be one of the most discussed topics of their offseason, and Rodriguez has a real chance to earn significant work on early downs as well as near the goal line. He is working his way back from a surgical procedure on his left foot that has sidelined him for most of the offseason, but it was reported in early June that he is expected to be a “full-go” by training camp. Rodriguez lack of a pass-catching profile could somewhat limit his fantasy upside, but if he secures enough volume and high-value touches in what projects to be a top-10 scoring offense, he could end up having the safest floor of any running back in Jacksonville’s backfield and insert himself into the conversation as a top-24 RB or better this season.

Shipley notes that the Commanders allowed Rodriguez to enter free agency for a reason. Although he is “an expert at getting downhill and breaking tackles,” his passing down abilities remain “underdeveloped.” With RB LeQuint Allen slated for the primary passing down role, Jaguars coach Liam Coen must choose between Rodriguez and RB Bhayshul Tuten for the starting role. In late April, Shipley said he expected Rodriguez to lead the team in carries. Rodriguez is currently sidelined after undergoing a procedure on his left foot. Shipley does not believe his absence is a big deal “at all,” but Bhayshul Tuten has been playing very well in practice. If one of them can meaningfully separate from the other, it will pay off in fantasy.