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Leonard Fournette

Jaguars making rookie work for all-but-guaranteed No. 1 job

Leonard Fournette isn't being handed the started running back job in Jacksonville. He's working as the No. 2 behind Chris Ivory, with head coach Doug Marrone saying "people got to earn things." It's an understandable and admirable approach, even though Fournette will absolutely be the starter by Week 1.

For his part, Fournette is saying all the right things. “My freshman year in college, I wasn’t with the ones yet,’’ Fournette said. “It’s something you have to work on. It’s something you have to get better of doing, of competing. That’s everybody’s job out here. Nobody is promised anything so you have to compete until your number is called.”

There's little doubt, though, that Fournette will be ahead of the team's holdovers before long. Ivory and T.J. Yeldon both averaged 3.8 yards per carry or worse last year; weren't effective. And with Fournette being drafted with a top-5 pick, it's nearly certain he'll get plenty of work right away.

Over the last 20 years, there have been a dozen other running backs selected in the top 5 of the NFL draft. Eight of those backs had at least 200 carries in their rookie seasons, nine went over 1,000 total yards, and half went over 1,300. Nearly half (five) scored at least 9 TDs.

Fournette looks like a very safe choice to be a big part of the offense as a rookie. The kind of back fantasy owners can think about selecting in the top 10 at his position.

RBS SELECTED IN TOP 5, ROOKIE SEASONS (1998-2017)
YearPkPlayerAttRunNoRecTotTD
20174Leonard Fournette, Jac.??????
20164Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.322163132363199416
20123Trent Richardson, Clev.26795051367131712
20084Darren McFadden, Oak.113499292857844
20062Reggie Bush, N.O.1555658874213079
20052Ronnie Brown, Mia.2079073223211395
20054Cedric Benson, Chi.67272132750
20055Cadillac Williams, T.B.2901178208112596
20015LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.339123659367160310
20005Jamal Lewis, Balt.30913642729616606
19994Edgerrin James, Ind.369155362586213917
19995Ricky Williams, N.O.2538842817210562
19985Curtis Enis, Chi.1334976205170

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index