JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are going to be without their best offensive player for at least another week and nobody seems to know just how much more time running back Leonard Fournette will miss.
But one thing is certain: The Jaguars are done solely relying on the 2017 fourth overall pick to carry their offense. Friday's trade for Carlos Hyde, for a 2019 fifth-round draft pick, gives the Jaguars an experienced, productive, and -- most importantly -- dependable player who fits their style of offense.
Whenever Fournette does return -- and the most likely scenario is after the team's Week 9 bye on Nov. 4 -- he'll be splitting time in the backfield with Hyde, T.J. Yeldon, and the recently-signed Jamaal Charles. Yeldon will remain the team's main back for Sunday's 1 p.m. ET game against Houston at TIAA Bank Field.
In addition, tight end James O'Shaughnessy (hip) and nickelback D.J. Hayden (toe) will not play against the Texans and defensive end Calais Campbell (ankle/hip) is questionable.
Fournette did not practice this week, but he did some running and worked off to the side during practice. Fournette hurt his hamstring late in the first half of the season opener. He missed the next two games. He returned in Week 4 but aggravated the injury late in the first half of that game and hasn't practiced since. He has 71 yards rushing and four catches for 19 yards.
Fournette -- who came into camp at 223 pounds, 17 pounds lighter than what he weighed in his rookie season -- hasn't played a full season since his sophomore year at LSU in 2015. He missed five games his junior year with an ankle injury and two games as a rookie with the Jaguars in 2017 because of ankle and quad injuries.
Fournette also was suspended for a game last season for missing a team meeting, so he will have missed eight of the team's 22 regular-season games since being drafted.
After missing 11 games in his first two seasons with San Francisco, Hyde has missed only three games since the start of the 2016 season. He played in 13 games in 2016 and every game in 2017 and all six this season. He was the Browns' leading rusher (382 yards, five TDs).