Bhayshul Tuten is set to lead to lead a backfield for the first time in his NFL career.

The Jacksonville Jaguars' running back, who was selected in the fourth round in 2025, is being counted on to fill the void left by Travis Etienne Jr., who left the Jags to join the New Orleans Saints in free agency.

Tuten was expected to compete with Chris Rodriguez Jr., whom the Jaguars signed this offseason, for the RB1 role. However, a foot injury that required surgery has left Rodriguez unable to practice with his new team, giving Tuten a chance to run away with the job.

Rodriguez is expected to be back for training camp, and his powerful running style will still allow him to see an important role for the Jaguars. However, the expectation is that Tuten will be Jacksonville's top option.

One analyst believes Tuten will excel in his new role this season, and thinks he will be one of fantasy football's breakout performers.

Ross Kelly of CBS Sports published an article Saturday in which, according to a Sportsline formula that includes 10,000 simulations of the upcoming season, he identified fantasy football breakout performers, sleepers, and busts for the 2026 season.

Kelly notes several reasons for expecting Tuten to have a breakout season in 2026. He points out that, even in limited opportunities last season, Tuten still scored seven touchdowns, including one in each game in which he received at least nine touches.

Now in line for a much larger role, the model predicts that Tuten's ability to be a home run threat due to his blazing speed will lead to big things this year. Tuten ran a ridiculous 4.32 forty-yard dash at the 2025 Combine and believes he is even faster now.

After a season in which Etienne recorded over 1,400 total yards and 13 touchdowns, Kelly believes Jacksonville's commitment to the running game could see Tuten greatly outperform his current position in fantasy drafts.

Usually, a running back-by-committee backfield is a fantasy football manager's worst nightmare. However, even with Rodriguez Jr. and fellow second-year RB LeQuint Allen Jr. figuring to take touches away from him, there are many reasons to be bullish on Tuten.

Expecting Tuten to duplicate Etienne's numbers from last year may be a stretch, but it is reasonable to believe he may run away with the Jaguars' RB1 job as soon as the real games start.

Everyone in Jacksonville's backfield brings a different skillset to the table, but Tuten is by far the most explosive RB the team has. His speed gives him a chance to turn any play into a touchdown, and talent like that is hard to keep off the field. 

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