PFF Ranks Jaguars' Travis Etienne Outside of Top-10 Running Backs

Despite productive back-to-back seasons, Travis Etienne was left off a recent list of top-10 running backs.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) runs to the sideline after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars blanked the Carolina Panthers 26-0. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA

Despite a second productive season behind a below-average run-blocking offensive line, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne was left off a recent top-10 running backs list.

Pro Football Focus ranked Etienne outside of the top-10, instead placing Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, Nick Chubb, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, Breece Hall, Aaron Jones, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Josh Jacobs.

Travis Etienne should be on this list.

Back to back 1000 yard seasons forced the MOST missed tackles last year (64) and had 11 TDs. #Jaguars #Jags #Duuuval pic.twitter.com/9ihle9v8sb

— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) May 27, 2024

The Jaguars' running game was among the least effective in the NFL a year ago, with the Jaguars finishing No. 31 in yards per attempt, No. 24 in rushing yards per game, No. 30 in rushing EPA/play, and No. 31 in rushing success rate.

Despite the ineffective run-blocking, Etienne finished 2023 with 1,008 yards (3.8 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns, while also catching 58 passes for 476 yards and a touchdown.

Etienne posted at least two rushing touchdowns in three straight games from Week 5 to Week 7. He became the first player in franchise history to record multiple rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games in a season.

Etienne recorded 1,484 scrimmage yards in 2023, joining Maurice Jones-Drew as the only Jaguars to reach 1,000 scrimmage yards in their first two active NFL seasons. Etienne is the third player in Jaguars history to record 1,300 scrimmage yards in consecutive seasons.

"You have to be explosive in this league. You know, it's tough enough being consistently efficient. We want to be able to have that explosive element to us. I think that was something, even if you go back and look at our run game, our run game for two years probably hasn't been a efficient as we wanted it to be," Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor said on Tuesday.

"I think even year one in the system we were explosive, so we were kind of able to counteract that a little bit. Year two, for whatever reason, that kind of fell off for us. So that's something in the run game definitely that we're looking at to improve upon but also in the pass game. Catch it on the move, making sure we're attacking all aspects of the field and defense.