Jaguars need Leonard Fournette to step up

If the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to do anything of note in 2019, they need Leonard Fournette to be the driving force offensively.

Fournette, entering his third year in Jacksonville, has been a disappointment to this juncture. Drafted fourth-overall in 2017 out of LSU, Fournette was expected to be the next Ezekiel Elliott. While he hasn’t been awful by any means, he certainly hasn’t lived up the hype he created while dominating SEC defenses.

As a rookie, the Heisman Trophy contender ran for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns, but did so on just 3.9 yards per attempt. He also missed three games due to injury. Last year, Fournette missed half the season and saw his numbers drop to 439 yards and five touchdowns on a hideous 3.3 yards per attempt.

Still, Fournette believes that 2019 is going to be a better year for both he and his teammates, per NFL.com:

“This is a new year, and we have a new team. It’s a new everything. It’s a clean start for a lot of us guys. We’re not focused on the past. The past is the past. Some things I did in the offseason, I’ve admitted I was wrong. We’ve moved on. We’re in a good place right now. We’re in a good spot.”

Looking at the offense, the Jaguars are going to get lifts elsewhere. General manager Dave Caldwell was able to land quarterback Nick Foles in free agency, signing the veteran and former Super Bowl MVP to a four-year, $88 million deal. Additionally, Jacksonville drafted tackle Jawaan Taylor in the second round and is expecting to get wide receiver Marqise Lee back from a torn ACL.

Yet none of it will work without Fournette playing a leading role. The offense is built to run the ball effectively behind a quality offensive line that includes A.J. Cann, Brandon Linder and Andrew Norwell. If Fournette can’t get going — especially following the departures of T.J. Yeldon and Carlos Hyde in free agency — the onus falls on Foles and an unheralded group of weapons to win the day. Tough ask.

The AFC South is a quality division. Last year, the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts both reached the playoffs having won double-digit games in the regular season. The year prior, the Tennessee Titans went to the Divisional round. All three franchises stand to compete for a spot in the postseason.

Jacksonville can force its way into the conversation, and it begins with terrific defense and Leonard Fournette.