Bhayshul Tuten Injury Update: Should Fantasy Managers Expect the Jaguars RB To Miss Time?

The Jacksonville Jaguars travel to Arizona for their Week 12 matchup against the Cardinals looking to put together two consecutive victories. Bhayshul Tuten left last week’s dominant win over the Los Angeles Chargers with an ankle injury and did not return. Will fantasy football managers have the speedy rookie available this week?

Bhayshul Tuten Injury Update

Tuten exited during the fourth quarter of Jacksonville’s 35-6 blowout victory with an ankle injury. The rookie running back out of Virginia Tech was initially listed as questionable to return before being ruled out for the remainder of the contest. There is fear it might be a high ankle sprain, which would keep him out for an extended period.​

No official update has come from the team yet regarding the severity of the injury. However, Tuten did tell reporters after the game that his ankle was “good,” providing some immediate optimism about his availability moving forward.

While it’s important to remember that players are often overly optimistic about their own abilities to recover from injuries, Tuten’s comments are certainly better than the alternative and suggest the injury may not be as severe as initially feared.​

For context, Terry McLaurin told reporters he felt “alright” after aggravating his quad injury in Week 8 before landing on injured reserve by the end of that week. The real indicator of Tuten’s status would come from his practice participation this week.​

That indicator arrived Wednesday when the Jaguars held a walkthrough and Tuten was spotted on the field. He was listed as limited. Although it is only a walkthrough, this is a great sign for his availability for Sunday’s game against Arizona.​

The fact that Tuten is back on the field just days after suffering the ankle injury suggests the team does not believe he’s dealing with a significant high ankle sprain. High ankle sprains typically sideline players for multiple weeks, so his presence at Wednesday’s session represents an encouraging development.​

The injury occurred late in the contest on a day when Tuten was playing a pivotal role in the Jacksonville offense. Before his exit, he had put together an impressive performance, carrying the ball 15 times for 74 yards and scoring a touchdown. He was effectively splitting work with starter Travis Etienne, forming a dynamic tandem that kept the Chargers’ defense on its heels throughout the afternoon.​

Tuten and Etienne essentially formed a 50/50 timeshare for the first three quarters, with LeQuint Allen subbing in for third-and-long situations. Both Tuten and Etienne had at least 36% snap share and multiple touches in each of the first three quarters before Tuten played just one snap in the fourth quarter and exited with the ankle injury.

Before the fourth quarter, Tuten was at 43% snap share with 14 of 28 running back opportunities, while Etienne was at 49% snap share with the other 14 opportunities.​

Tuten’s Fantasy Outlook

Tuten was in the midst of his best game as a pro when the injury occurred. He carried the ball 15 times for a career-high 74 yards and a touchdown, with his touches coming while the game was still competitive. Tuten’s performance against Los Angeles undoubtedly earned him more work provided he doesn’t miss time with this injury.​

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The fourth-round pick from Virginia Tech brings elite speed to the Jaguars’ backfield after blazing a 4.32 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He totaled 2,022 rushing yards across two seasons with the Hokies, including a school-record 266-yard outburst against Boston College that showcased his big-play ability. His explosiveness and special teams return ability make him more than just a developmental prospect.​

Travis Etienne Jr. remains the starter in Jacksonville’s backfield, but the timeshare that emerged in Week 11 suggests the coaching staff is willing to ride the hot hand. Etienne rushed 19 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns. The veteran has looked rejuvenated this season under head coach Liam Coen’s offense after a disappointing 2024 campaign.​

If Tuten is sidelined, LeQuint Allen would back up Etienne against Arizona. The seventh-round pick out of Syracuse brings a different skill set to the backfield, offering steady reliability and elite receiving ability after catching 119 passes for 848 yards across his college career. However, Allen played minimal snaps in Week 11, seeing action primarily on obvious passing downs.​