Best RB Jaguars Face in First 3 Weeks of Season

The Jacksonville Jaguars head into training looking to see improvement from their run defense, one that finished among the worst in the NFL last season. While their unit struggled mightily as a whole, stopping the run was an improvement toward the final few weeks of the season.

Much of the defensive line from 2024 returns this year, with Arik Armstead expected to have a legitimate reduced alignment instead of experimenting at edge rusher again. Maason Smith and Jordan Jefferson look to be the future up front while DaVon Hamilton will remain a key figure in the run game.

The Jaguars will face some decent running backs and overall run games in the first three weeks of the season against the Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, and division rival Houston Texans, and there is a clear choice for who the top player of the bunch they will face early in the season. Let's rank them from worst to first.

No. 3 - Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals

Brown is the worst RB of the bunch, and that isn't a bad thing. This is a good tailback who provides versatility on all three downs, especially in the passing game. He finished his second season with over 1,300 yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns, making him a key piece to the Bengals' run game.

However, the situation here is that Brown is in a time when there are a lot of good running backs. The last few years have seen the run game emerge with a significant amount of productive rushers out of the backfield, with Brown being one of them. He isn't a change, but will be someone the Jaguars must be accountable for in Week 2.

No. 2 - Joe Mixon, Houston Texans

Mixon enters his ninth season as one of the most productive running backs in the NFL. In his first season with the Texans, he rushed for over 1000 yards for the second year in a row and made the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career.

The former Oklahoma Sooner remains one of the best rushers in the game when it comes to vision, patience, and football IQ in the backfield. He is a challenge week in and out, and someone Jacksonville must shut down in Week 3 if they want to find a path to victory.

No. 1 - Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers

A former fifth-round pick from Oklahoma State, Hubbard has slowly grown into one of the better running backs in the NFL. He posted career-high numbers in his fourth season with nearly 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns while becoming the focal point of the Panthers' offense in 2024.

Hubbard is a physical runner who gains extra yards after contact. His vision and balance have improved drastically since his rookie year, displaying a great example of patience and development for a raw player entering the NFL. Hubbard will be Jacksonville's biggest challenge on the ground in the first three weeks of the season.

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