Week 1 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Debate: Bhayshul Tuten Vs. Chris Rodriguez
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The start of the 2026 NFL season is just around the corner and fantasy football managers throughout leagues are looking to solidify lineups heading into Week 1. The running back position raises plenty of debate, with some of the position group’s biggest stars facing comparisons against one another to determine who presents an ideal fantasy outlook for the upcoming year.
The Jacksonville Jaguars feature two backs who could emerge as notable fantasy contributors in 2026, with Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez anchoring the backfield for the upcoming year. Both will take on plentiful volume in Jacksonville’s rushing attack, but which of the two presents superior fantasy upside?
The Case For Bhayshul Tuten
Tuten showed tremendous flashes behind Travis Etienne in his rookie campaign last year, taking on a significant role in Jacksonville’s backfield. He racked up 384 yards from scrimmage with an encouraging seven total touchdowns. Now set to take on the lead role in the run game following Etienne’s departure, Tuten’s nose for the endzone will set a safe fantasy floor, with plenty of upside as a pass-catcher in PPR format.
With a bump in volume, many are expecting a breakout campaign from Tuten, who has jumped in ADP rankings throughout the offseason. There’s still plenty to prove entering year two, but Tuten is one of the more intriguing prospects among PPR running backs after the first three rounds.
The Case For Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Rodriguez presents a nice change of pace for Jacksonville’s rushing attack. He’s more of an ideal option on early downs with a physical running style and a bell-cow frame, and is coming off a tremendous campaign in year three with the Washington Commanders in 2025. He racked up 500 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 112 carries, emerging as the team’s top threat in the run game at times during an injury-riddled campaign.
He inked a two-year deal with the Jaguars in free agency, and could force Liam Coen to utilize a committee backfield to establish the run. Concerns over his long-term volume could hamper his fantasy upside, and his receiving production is relatively limited, though his efficiency in the run game presents a compelling argument against his counterpart in the backfield.
The Verdict
Considering Tuten’s projected volume in a favorable offensive system, I’m going to pick him over Rodriguez in our depth chart debate. Rodriguez is a reliable contributor who should emerge with some notable performances during the season, but his ceiling doesn’t come close to that of Tuten, who Coen and the rest of the offensive staff is very high on entering his second NFL season.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.