If Bhayshul Tuten is still sitting on the Week 3 Waiver Wire (55% rostered), consider this your friendly fantasy football PSA: go pick him up immediately.
Seriously, this is your last chance. Tuten is quickly emerging as one of the most exciting rookie running backs in the league, and his fantasy value is climbing fast.
With Tank Bigsby now in Philadelphia, the Jaguars have cleared the runway for Tuten to step into the RB2 role behind Travis Etienne. And in his first opportunity to shine, he absolutely delivered.
BHAYSHUL TUTEN’S WEEK 2 BREAKOUT
In Jacksonville’s first game without Bigsby, Tuten made the most of his touches. He carried the ball eight times for 42 yards, caught both of his targets for 32 yards and a touchdown, and even contributed on special teams. That’s 74 total yards and a score on just 10 touches, which is a strong showing for a rookie Day 3 pick.
More importantly, Tuten looked like a legitimate change-of-pace option behind Etienne. He saw just six fewer carries than the starter, which suggests the Jaguars are already comfortable giving him meaningful work. While Etienne remains the lead back, Tuten is clearly carving out a role. If Etienne were to miss time, Tuten could instantly become a high-volume playmaker in one of the league’s ascending offenses.
LIAM COEN’S INFLUENCE
There’s another reason to be excited about Tuten’s potential: Jaguars offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Last season, Coen helped Bucky Irving thrive in Tampa, and now he’s in Jacksonville, where he had a hand in selecting Tuten in the fourth round of the draft.
Coen has a history of maximizing the talents of elusive, explosive backs. Irving ranked in the 92nd percentile in after-contact rate and 99th percentile in missed tackle rate. Tuten isn’t far behind. He led all Power Conference running backs in career yards after contact per attempt (4.08) and missed tackles forced per touch (0.35). He also ranked in the 96th percentile in after-contact rate and 98th percentile in missed tackles forced rate.
It’s clear that Coen sees something special in Tuten, and he’s already finding ways to get him involved.
A FREAK ATHLETE WITH A GAME-BREAKING PROFILE
Tuten’s athletic profile is off the charts. He ran a blazing 4.32-second 40-yard dash and posted elite explosion metrics, including a 40.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-10 broad jump. These numbers put him in the 98th percentile among NFL running backs.
But Tuten isn’t just fast, he’s dangerous in space. When first contact came after the line of scrimmage, he averaged an absurd 9.29 yards per carry, according to Scott Barrett. That kind of efficiency is rare, and it’s exactly what Coen’s wide-zone and screen-heavy offense is designed to exploit.
Of course, Tuten isn’t a perfect prospect, or else he wouldn’t have fallen to the fourth round. He struggled with ball security in college, fumbling nine times over his last two seasons. He also put the ball on the ground during his first OTA practice with the Jaguars, which raised some early eyebrows.
Tuten’s running style can also be boom-or-bust. He ranked third-best in this year’s rookie class by career explosive run rate, but a class-high 21.8% of his carries failed to gain positive yardage. He was also ineffective in short-yardage situations, converting just 56.5% of his attempts into first downs or touchdowns last season—the worst rate in the class.
These issues suggest that Tuten may not be trusted in goal-line situations, and he could be “vultured” when the Jaguars get close to the end zone. Still, his big-play potential makes him a valuable fantasy asset, especially in PPR formats.
ONLY TRAVIS ETIENNE STANDS IN HIS WAY
While Travis Etienne is still the starter and has looked good this season, Tuten brings an added spark to this backfield. Etienne is the clear early-down back, while fellow rookie LeQuint Allen can handle pass-catching duties, if necessary. But, Tuten has game-breaking speed and tackle-breaking ability to flourish in Coen’s system.
Could Tuten beat out a healthy Etienne straight up? Likely not if Etienne keeps up his scorching start. So far, he’s racked up a very impressive 214 yards on only 30 carries (7.1 YPC). Still, ETN is coming off a poor, injury riddled season and the new coaching staff is not tied to him whatsoever. Coen could roll with the two guys he drafted if they find themselves out of the playoff picture and see what he has with the rookies.
BHAYSHUL TUTEN FANTASY OUTLOOK: WAIVER WIRE MUST-ADD
We circled Bhayshul Tuten as one of the most intriguing 2025 fantasy football sleepers, and after just two weeks, the opportunity is there for the rookie.
He has the speed, the burst, the tackle-breaking ability, and the perfect offensive scheme to thrive. If you missed out on him last week, this will likely be your final chance to grab him before he’s rostered across the board.
Whether you’re looking for a high-upside flex play, a premium handcuff, or a stash with breakout potential, Tuten checks all the boxes. Add him now, and you might just be getting this year’s version of Bucky Irving.
