The situation regarding the question of is Travis Etienne Jr. playing in Week 13 has been somewhat topsy-turvy for fantasy football managers over the course of the week. With the messages coming out of Jacksonville all week being positive, it was a surprise to see the RB listed as questionable coming out of Friday.
Let’s examine the latest regarding Etienne’s status for Week 13 and whether fantasy managers should have any concerns about starting him if he is active.
Update: Travis Etienne is active for Week 13
Is Travis Etienne Jr. Playing Today?
Going back all the way to last Sunday, the indication has been that Etienne will play against the Detroit Lions this week. Etienne himself said it when asked immediately after the game. Head coach Doug Pederson reiterated it on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but still, he was listed as questionable on the final injury report.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted that Etienne is expected to play, as has been the message all week. It would seem that the Jaguars keeping Etienne limited as he deals with this foot injury was as much precaution as anything. Meanwhile, listing him as questionable may well have been a little bit of gamesmanship from Pederson and his staff.
Should Fantasy Managers Trust Etienne Jr. in Week 13?
The problem that fantasy managers have is that even if Etienne suits up, that does not mean he will handle a full workload. However, foot injuries do not tend to have a major impact on production, so even if his workload is slightly reduced, he should still be the lead back and capable of producing for fantasy managers.
The matchup is intriguing, though, because while the Lions struggled against RBs early in the year, they have been really good against the position in recent weeks. Overall for the season, the Lions allow an average of 19.68 fantasy points to the position. However, in the last five weeks, they are the third-toughest matchup for opposing RBs, allowing just 11.1 fantasy points per game in half-PPR scoring.
MORE: Week 13 Start/Sit Advice
Therefore, the Lions are no longer the slam-dunk matchup they once were for opposing RBs. Additionally, we have seen mixed results from Etienne since he became the lead back. In the first few weeks, he had over 100 rushing yards and a touchdown in three straight games. However, in Week 10 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Etienne could only manage 45 rushing yards on 11 attempts, relying on three receptions for 28 yards to save his value.
It is hard to bench Etienne if he is active, simply because of what we saw in that stretch between Week 5 and Week 9, but the warning signs are there. In his Week 13 RB fantasy rankings, PFN’s Senior Fantasy Analyst Tommy Garrett has Etienne as his RB12, so he’s locked in as a starter.
Personally, I am slightly more dubious, but not to the extent that I would actively look to sit him. Looking at Tommy’s rankings, I would sit Etienne closer to the RB24 region, so still as a low-end RB2 or a Flex option, but I am certainly less bullish on his upside this week.
Is Etienne an Intriguing Option for Underdog Fantasy Contests?
If you are looking to play Underdog Fantasy contests this week, then Etienne’s value fluctuates from contest to contest. In Best Ball drafts, if he slides into that RB20 region or later, then his upside would make him an intriguing value. However, paying up for him earlier than that would be a risky investment with this uncertainty over the matchup and the injury.
When it comes to the Pick ’em contests on Underdog, then there is a lot to digest. They have Etienne projected for 78.5 combined rushing and receiving yards, two receptions, and 14.95 fantasy points in half-PPR scoring.
MORE: Top Underdog Pick’ems in Week 13
Of those projections, the one that is the most intriguing is the two receptions. Ignoring last week, when Etienne was hurt, he had two or more receptions in five of the last six games and eight of his 10 games this year. Therefore, at worst, that number should be a push.
The two numbers that are the toughest to feel confident about are the 14.95 fantasy points and 14.5 rushing attempts. If the Jaguars do split Etienne’s workload up, then we could see him struggle. He has only topped 14.5 rushing attempts in two games this year, but we also saw him average 26 rushing attempts between Weeks 8 and 9.
As for the fantasy points, my projections have Etienne in around the region of the 80-total yards, similar to Underdog. Therefore, it only takes Etienne to find his way into the end zone for the over to hit. Personally, I would elan to the under being more likely with the matchup this week, but I do not feel confident enough to play it this week.
