The Las Vegas Raiders rushing attack has been abysmal so far this season, but there was at least a glimmer of hope during the Week 4 game against the Cleveland Browns, and it came from Alexander Mattison.
Mattison had just five carries, but he turned them into 60 rushing yards, which was good enough for 12 yards per tote. Compare that to Zamir White, who needed 17 carries to reach 50 yards. Mattison's total was the most any Raiders running back has finished a game with this season.
It has become abundantly clear that Mattison is the better option over White, and that means he should get more work after playing second fiddle to his backfield mate on the ground. Mattison has, however, been the preferred option in the passing game.
After his impressive showing in Week 4, head coach Antonio Pierce confirmed that Mattison has earned a bigger role, and he's going to get it moving forward.
“He’s deserved more reps, and he’ll get them,” Pierce said, per Levi Edwards of Raiders.com.
Alexander Mattison fantasy football outlook
It remains to be seen how much White will still be involved, but if roles between he and Mattison get reversed, Mattison is definitely worth rostering.
Despite how bad he's been, White is averaging 13.5 touches per game, and that number is a bit skewed thanks to the negative game script from the Week 3 blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Meanwhile, Mattison has averaged just six. If Mattison can work his way into at least 13-14 touches per contest, that's not a bad option to have on your bench for the upcoming bye weeks.
The biggest concern is the Raiders' offensive line. However, the fact that Las Vegas ran for 152 yards and surpassed what they totaled in the previous three games combined, it's fair to wonder if the unit upfront is turning the corner.
At the very least, Mattison is now worth stashing on your bench, but he could prove to be a flex option if what we saw in Week 4 continues.
