Despite having a down season in 2023, Josh Jacobs was a big part of the Las Vegas Raiders' offense in recent years and his shoes will be difficult to fill now that he's gone to the Green Bay Packers in free agency this offseason.
The Raiders will look to fill the void with 2022 fourth-round pick, Zamir White, who is expected to start, and veteran Alexander Mattison, who figures to have a fairly sizeable role. The Raiders also have veteran Ameer Abdullah and rookie Dylan Laube, who has flashed so far this offseason.
While there's promise in that room — and mainly when it comes to White and Laube — there's no question that it is unproven. As a result, Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema believes the Raiders have the second-worst group in the NFL. Only the Dallas Cowboys were ranked lower.
It felt like the Raiders were left high and dry after watching Josh Jacobs sign elsewhere. Their backfield state is now some combination of Zamir White, Alexander Mattison and rookie Dylan Laube.
White earned a 70.6 PFF rushing grade last season, while Mattison recorded a 68.4 figure.
The most promising player is White, who is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he had some success down the stretch while Jacobs was injured.
In the last four games, White tallied 397 rushing yards (4.7 yards per carry) and one touchdown while adding 60 receiving yards. And White clearly isn't resting on his laurels, as he looks absolutely jacked going into his third season.
Raiders RB Zamir White is looked JACKED 😳
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) March 18, 2024
pic.twitter.com/VUDMDBvV5Y
Mattison is no slouch, either. Granted, he failed to seize the starting role with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023, but he has proven to be a very good No. 2 in the past, which is what he figures to be in Vegas.
The skepticism surrounding the Raiders' running backs is warranted, but this group could end up being better than many expect.
