After letting Josh Jacobs walk in free agency, the expectation is that Zamir White will take over the starting running back job for the Las Vegas Raiders. White had a fantastic finish to the 2023 season and it’s all systems go for this year.
But is there a chance that White isn’t the lead back in Las Vegas? Could someone else lead the team in rushing yards, even if White is fully healthy?
In a recent article by Bill Barnwell of ESPN, he wrote about White and the possibility of him not leading the team in rushing yards this season. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the backfield for Las Vegas heading into the year:
Zamir White is the incumbent after carrying the ball 104 times for 451 yards last season, most of which came during a four-game stint as the starter at the end of 2023. White posted modestly above-average rush yards over expectation (RYOE) numbers, especially in context compared to (Josh) Jacobs, who was one of the league’s worst backs by the same metric.
Both White and Jacobs were dismal in terms of gaining first downs versus expectation. White should be considered the favorite, but he’s also a 2022 fourth-round pick who was drafted by a regime that was fired in the middle of last season. That’s not the sort of recipe that usually leads to a firm grip on a starting job. I’d like to see White get an opportunity to be the full-time back, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up in a rotation by midseason.
It wouldn’t be a shock to see the Raiders add a veteran to their running back room at some point this offseason. They can upgrade from Alexander Mattison to a player with more athleticism and home-run ability. But if White is healthy, it would be a shock if anyone on the roster received more touches than him.
White is the most talented running back on the roster and the Raiders are ready to lean on him. While you can’t rule out the possibility of someone else overtaking this backfield, it seems pretty unlikely heading into the summer.
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