The Las Vegas Raiders are going to have a new starter at the running back position in 2024 after the team parted ways with Josh Jacobs, paving the way for Zamir White to finally get the job.
White had been quiet for the first year-plus of his career while Jacobs ran the show, but he finally got his opportunity to start in the last four games of the 2024 campaign after Jacobs got hurt — and he was impressive in the process.
White broke the century mark twice in those four games and averaged 99.3 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. He also tallied nine receptions for 60 yards, which helped earn him a ranking of RB9 overall in PPR in that span.
The 2022 fourth-round pick should lead the way for the Raiders in 2024, but will that opportunity prove fruitful?
Zamir White fantasy football outlook
Ceiling: High-end RB2
Floor: Handcuff
The biggest concern for White going into 2024 is the presence of Alexander Mattison. Mattison failed as a starter in his final season with the Minnesota Vikings, but before that he was an elite backup behind Dalvin Cook.
Mattison will mix in with White — and especially on passing downs — but how much that happens remains to be seen. Further, if White struggles, it isn't crazy to think that Mattison could flat out take the job from him.
Another concern for the man known as "Zeus" is how much he'll be involved in the passing game. White didn't catch a lot of balls in college (17 receptions), although he did see solid usage in the passing game in 2023 despite limited opportunities. He had nine catches over his four starts, including five in one game.
Speaking of the passing game: Las Vegas is set to start Gardner Minshew, with Aidan O'Connell waiting in the wings if he falters. Neither quarterback is a lock to get this offense to where it wants to go, and if they struggle, that will limit White's scoring opportunities.
As far as the offensive line is concerned, the Raiders should be just fine in the run game. Left guard Cody Whitehair is the shakiest of the bunch, but he's expected to cede the starting job to second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson once he works his way back from injury.
There is a lot of uncertainty here with White, who has very little experience in the NFL. That creates a situation where he could fall flat on his face and lose the job, which would be a disaster for fantasy managers who invest in him.
There's also a chance White is a workhorse who dominates carries and gets some work in the passing game like we saw late last season, making him an every-week starter.
With quite the range of possibilities, it's best to consider White a flex option with RB2 upside until things are sorted out.
