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Rodriguez’s familiarity with Liam Coen's offense helps his outlook, but his short-yardage, minimal-receiving profile limits his fantasy ceiling even in the best-case scenario. We’re betting he’ll trail Bhayshul Tuten in work and production and aren’t targeting Rodriguez at his ADP in mid-RB4 range.
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Rodriguez was a healthy scratch for the first two weeks before earning starts in weeks 3 and 4 in a struggling Commanders backfield. After an uneven start, he closed strong with double-digit carries in six of his final seven games.
The raw numbers were modest given the limited opportunity: 112 carries for 500 yards and 6 TDs across 13 games, with just 3 receptions (on 4 targets) for 30 yards. He finished as RB51 in fantasy points per game (7.1).
Rodriguez had no top-12 and just three top-24 fantasy finishes. He’s only had one top-12 finish in his three-year career on the Commanders.
But Rodriguez’s 2025 production was better than the raw numbers indicated. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry (17th among 51 RBs with 90+ carries) and 3.46 yards after contact per attempt, which ranked eighth in the league.
That after-contact number isn't a one-year blip either -- Rodriguez has led all RBs with 100-plus attempts in yards after contact per attempt over the last two seasons combined at 3.0. Rodriguez breaks tackles consistently, making him an effective short yardage back who can pick up more than expected.
His 0.70 rushing yards over expected per attempt ranked 13th among qualified RBs. Those numbers tell you he's consistently doing more with his carries than the blocking would predict.
Even with that efficiency, Rodriguez never earned a strong share of the workload. His 34.2% carry share ranked 48th in a weak Commanders RB room alongside seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt and receiving back Jeremy McNichols.
Another major concern is that his receiving profile is thin. He has only had six total catches in his NFL career. Even the 2021 season he spent with Liam Coen as his OC at Kentucky found Rodriguez catching just 13 balls. He totaled 20 receptions for his five-year college run.
Jacksonville signed Rodriguez to a two-year, $10 million contract this offseason and dropped him into an open backfield after Travis Etienne's exit. He will compete with second-year RBs Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen, both Day 3 picks from last year.
The Coen connection helps Rodriguez's case. That 2021 campaign produced Rodriguez’s biggest college numbers:
That familiarity with Coen could give Rodriguez a head start in both installation and trust, helping him get on the field early.
There is an early speed bump, though. Rodriguez had surgery on his left foot earlier this offseason. He is expected back by training camp, but we’ll have to monitor that return and how reps get split among Jacksonville RBs in camp.
Tuten's athletic profile still makes him the favorite to lead this backfield in carries. His 4.32-second 40 time, 40.5-inch vertical, and 10’10 broad jump produced a 9.56 Relative Athletic Score entering the NFL, and he backed that up last season by ranking 14th in yards after contact per attempt (3.0).
Tuten has the talent to be the lead back with Rodriguez handling short yardage duties.
Rodriguez’s best outcome -- barring injury to Tuten -- would find him leading carries in a committee backfield for a high-powered Jacksonville offense that scored the sixth-most TDs in the NFL last season (29).
That type of role and the TD potential could make Rodriguez an attractive non-PPR play and decent half-PPR option. His pro and college records, though, tell us we shouldn’t expect much on the receiving front.
That’ll make it tough for Rodriguez to be startable in PPR formats, outside of the deepest fantasy leagues.
If Rodriguez splits early-down work with Tuten or trails him in that area, then he’d remain bench fodder for fantasy leagues and difficult to like outside of best ball formats.
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Chris Rodriguez Punches Back In Backfield Battle
Chris Rodriguez Punches Back In Backfield Battle
Jaguars RB Bhayshul Tuten got off to a strong start in training camp while RB Chris Rodriguez was limited coming off a foot injury. But Rodriguez was a full-go for Monday's padded practice and impressed, according to Sports Illustrated's John Shipley.
Chris Rodriguez Back, But Bhayshul Tuten Dominating
Chris Rodriguez Back, But Bhayshul Tuten Dominating
Jaguars RB Chris Rodriguez has participated in individual drills early in training camp, according to John Oehser of the team's official site. Rodriguez missed much of the offseason program with a foot injury and doesn't sound back to 100% yet, though he plans to be ready for Week 1. RB Bhayshul Tuten, meanwhile, has been the star of camp so far. "Tuten's terrific practice performances have simply been a consistent part of the Jaguars' offseason practices and early days of training camp," Sports Illustrated's John Shipley wrote.
Chris Rodriguez Recovering From Foot Surgery
Chris Rodriguez Recovering From Foot Surgery
Jaguars RB Chris Rodriguez had surgery on his left foot earlier this offseason, according to The Jacksonville Florida Times-Union's Ryan O'Halloran. Rodriguez has been sidelined for OTAs and minicamp, and now we know why. Per O'Halloran, Rodriguez is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in late July.
Will Chris Rodriguez Lead the Jaguars in Carries?
Will Chris Rodriguez Lead the Jaguars in Carries?
Jaguars beat writer John Shipley believes new RB Chris Rodriguez will lead the team in carries in 2025. He also thinks the workload could be close to even with second-year RB Bhayshul Tuten. The Jaguars were rumored to be interested in moving up for a RB ahead of the NFL Draft, but they drafted none and added only UDFA J’Mari Taylor to the room. For now, Rodriguez, Tuten, and LeQuint Allen appear set to make up the active gameday roster at the position.
J'Mari Taylor Faces Uphill Battle In Jacksonville
J'Mari Taylor Faces Uphill Battle In Jacksonville
The Jaguars signed Virginia RB J’Mari Taylor after he went undrafted. It took four seasons at North Carolina Central for Taylor to seize a lead role, but he delivered once he got there. His 2024 campaign produced 1,146 yards and 15 TDs on 196 attempts, including 700 yards after contact, per Pro Football Focus. That blend of power and persistence translated well after his transfer to Virginia. In a zone-heavy system, Taylor topped 1,000 rushing yards again, despite just 4.8 yards per carry. That included three 100-yard efforts across his final five games. Add in 43 receptions, and the resume looks solid. Among the 20 RBs invited to the NFL Combine, Taylor ranked ninth in 2025 rushing market share (44.1%), and 10th in yards after contact per attempt (3.39). He ranked sixth in 2025 missed tackles forced per attempt (0.25) and 10th in receiving yards per route run (0.91). He is currently 24 years old.
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