Braelon Allen’s next shot in New York may arrive sooner than expected.
The Jets enter Week 1 with their backfield in a shaky spot, and that gives the third-year running back a chance to carve out a real role right out of the gate. Allen, a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, has spent three offseasons generating buzz, but 2026 is shaping up as a pivotal year for him in New York.
The immediate opening comes from the injury situation around him. Of the Jets’ four running backs, Allen and Kene Nwangwu are the only ones who made it through the summer healthy.
Breece Hall and Isaiah Davis both dealt with groin issues through August, though the team’s first injury report on Wednesday listed both as full participants. The Jets did not actually practice, so those designations were estimations.
New York also brought in veteran Jerome Ford for a workout, a move that may point to some insurance if Davis is not fully ready for Sunday.
That leaves Allen in position to see a bigger workload than expected, and maybe even force the issue early. At the moment, the Jets’ depth chart does not give a clean answer behind Hall.
The unofficial chart has Allen ahead of Davis, but the two backs bring very different value. Davis has looked like the more natural third-down option, with stronger receiving and pass-protection skills.
He has also been productive as a runner, averaging 5.6 yards per carry in 21 career games, though that has come on just 73 attempts.
Allen’s game is built differently. He is the bruiser in the room, the back best suited for short-yardage work.
His career numbers show the limits and the appeal: 3.7 yards per carry and a long run of 20 yards on 110 carries. He also added weight this offseason, getting up to 250 pounds, which only reinforces where the Jets may want to use him most.
There were signs this summer that Allen could be ready for more. In the preseason, he made the most of a small workload, carrying seven times for 48 yards and a touchdown. That included a 31-yard scoring run, the kind of burst that reminds you why the Jets keep talking him up.
Still, Allen has shown flashes before. What he has not done yet is stack enough of them together. That is the real test in this make-or-break stretch: turning the occasional big play into steady production and making himself indispensable as the Jets’ RB2.
He has also had his share of setbacks. As a rookie, Allen dealt with an offensive coordinator change in the middle of the season, moving from Nathaniel Hackett to Todd Downing. Then last year, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Jets’ Week 4 game.
Now he gets another chance to reset the conversation. With Hall and Davis not fully settled and Week 1 offering an opening, Allen has a real opportunity to show the Jets he can be trusted in a bigger role. Sunday could go a long way toward determining how much of this backfield he owns going forward.
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