LeQuint

Allen

The Jags elevated their seventh-round rookie to the No. 3 spot on the depth chart early in the year by trading Tank Bigsby to Philly. Allen only ran 23 times for 94 yards on the year, but he did carve out a role on passing downs. Liam Coen sent him out for 61 pass-blocking reps as a rookie. Travis Etienne only logged 21 more pass-pro reps than him. Etienne is a free agent, but fellow rookie Bhayshul Tuten would be next in line for carries if Etienne walks. Allen is worth a stash in dynasty leagues but won’t be on the redraft radar next year.

Allen, with Bhayshul Tuten (finger) done for the season, is the Jags’ No. 2 back behind Travis Etienne, who had 16 carries for 50 yards against the Broncos. Allen had an inside-the-five carry against Denver, suggesting he could be the goal line back over Etienne. He should remain on waiver wires ahead of Week 17.

With Bhayshul Tuten (finger) done for the rest of the season, Etienne saw an uptick in usage against Denver. He accounted for 16 of the Jaguars backfield’s 20 running back carries and all four of the team’s running backs targets while running a pass route on 26 of Trevor Lawrence’s 46 drop backs. LeQuint Allen did see an inside-the-five rush, however, raising concerns about Etienne’s goal line role in Week 17. Etienne’s receiving touchdown was his fourth over the past two games. That can’t last, but his involvement in the pass game means Etienne won’t be sensitive to game script moving forward.

Tuten is expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing finger surgery this week. Travis Etienne should see an increase in snaps and touches with Tuten sidelined. LeQuint Allen Jr. would presumably function as the team’s RB2 behind Etienne, and could find himself in the lead back role if Etienne were to miss time in the coming weeks.

Tuten had not been targeted in the passing game before getting rolled up and suffering what appeared to maybe be a dreaded high-ankle sprain. Before the injury, he had played Travis Etienne to both a snap and production standstill, though Etienne was also having a strong day in a surprisingly non-competitive Jaguars victory. Tuten was looking really, really lively, so this is very unfortunate. For now, we would consider him on the wrong side of questionable for Week 12 in Arizona. If Tuten can’t go, LeQuint Allen Jr. would become Etienne’s 1B back.

Shipley adds that if the Jaguars’ trade efforts are unsuccessful, he thinks they will carry Etienne, Bigsby and rookies Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. on the final roster and make “one of the two rookies inactive on game day.” Etienne regularly took passing down snaps during preseason play. While Tuten’s explosive traits make him an all-around breakout candidate, it’s possible Allen could sneak into a specialized passing down role if Etienne ends up being traded.

Harvey believes there will be a competition that includes Bhayshul Tuten, Tank Bigsby and LeQuint Allen, notably detailing the latter three players in that order. If the Jaguars feature three or more running backs, these players will be difficult to trust on a weekly basis, though Etienne’s potential pass-catching involvement provides at least mild stability.

Shipley adds that “all four (running backs) get some run at some point,” but believes Etienne will have a chance to hold on to his new role under the new regime. Etienne is coming off a second-straight season in which he averaged less than 4.0 YPC and less than 5.0 yards per touch. The former first-round pick has struggled to match the success he enjoyed in 2022, and lost work to Tank Bigsby during parts of last season. The addition of speedster Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round of this year’s draft immediately led to speculation that Etienne’s time as the Jaguars’ lead back could be coming to an end. While that still may be the case, it sounds as if he’ll have every chance to prove he’s deserving of the top role to open the season in Week 1 against the Panthers. Bigsby and Tuten still make for interesting late-round values given Etienne’s recent track history, but they shouldn’t be viewed as anything more than high-end handcuffs at this time.

“Obviously, he had 1,000 yards over the last two years, and then he can catch the ball out of the back field. Good in the screen game. Competitor, man,” Coen continued. As last year taught us, anyone involved in a Liam Coen screen game can be a fantasy factor. It’s probably a little too early to get excited about Allen — and Allen is behind Bhayshul Tuten in the Jacksonville running back pecking order — but Coen’s vision of how he wants to use Allen is noteworthy for fantasy leagues.

Allen (6’0/204) spent his entire three-year career at Syracuse, but saw minimal production as a freshman while playing behind current Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker. In 2024, Allen took the lead in Syracuse’s backfield and immediately rushed for 245-1,064-9 while adding another 38-210-1 through the air. He saw similar production on the ground in 2024 (228-1,021-16), but saw far more receiving production, finishing the year with a line of 64-521-4. His 64 receptions led all FBS backs last season, while his 8.3 YPR ranked 21st amongst FBS backs (min. 50 targets). Allen’s rushing production leaves a lot to be desired. In his two years as a starter, Allen averaged a meager 4.4 YPC and was average when it came to creating yards after contact (3.18 YCO/ATT). His tendency to run upright isn’t doing him any favors, either. Allen’s ability to contribute in the passing game – both as a receiver and pass-blocker, and on special teams is what will give him a chance to make an impact on a roster early on. It’s worth noting, per PFF, that Allen lined up out wide or in the slot on 191 passing down snaps in his career.