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TJ Yeldon will not face Giants

By Kevin Parvizi

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Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back TJ Yeldon looked like one of the most promising rookies in the class based on the hype he generated in OTAs, and there’s no doubt that the former Alabama star is a pro-ready running back who has the chops to succeed on all three downs. Yeldon, however, has been off to a rough start here in training camp due to a sprained finger, and the Jaguars aren’t risking anything with a long-term star who is expected to take pressure off of former No. 3 overall pick Blake Bortles for years to come.

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According to Jaguars official site beat writer John Oehser, the team has confirmed that Yeldon will be held out of tonight’s 7:30 p.m. ET preseason game against the New York Giants. Yeldon also missed the team’s first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with Denard Robinson leading the way with 22 rushing yards and second-year UCF product Storm Johnson failing to make the most of his team-high seven carries (he averaged just 2.3 yards per carry).

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With Robinson looming as a change-of-pace back, Toby Gerhart ready for a better year after a rough first season in Jacksonville (injury and supporting cast played a role in this), and Bernard Pierce stating his case after being an offseason flier, the Jaguars have players who can steal some carries from Yeldon.

The 21-year-old standout is still expected to be the Jaguars workhorse this season despite the early injury bouts, but there’s a chance the Jags give the other backs plenty of carries at the beginning of the season if they are feeling especially cautious with their rookie’s injury. It’s likely that Yeldon’s injury is of no significance, but the Jaguars are simply playing it as safe as possible with the third-picked RB in this year’s loaded draft class.

Whether or not TJ Yeldon plays in next week’s game is more important for his status going forward, so consider his absence from today’s preseason game against the Giants a non-issue at this point in time. The Jaguars are simply exercising due caution with a likely 300-touch workhorse who will be counted on to play a major role in between the tackles, on the outside, and in the passing game.

Robinson, Gerhart, and potentially Pierce loom behind him, but Yeldon remains the unquestioned workhorse, which is a fact that won’t change even if he misses next week’s game; it would just mean that the other guys will steal more early-season carries than once expected.

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