The Las Vegas Raiders are beginning a new era at the running back position in 2024, as the team allowed Josh Jacobs to depart in free agency, leaving Zamir White to be the projected starter going into the upcoming season.
The team also added former Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison in free agency to give themselves a solid one-two punch and an insurance policy for the unproven White.
Mattison is coming off a disappointing season in which he had an opportunity to seize a starting role in Minnesota but was unable to come through. Despite failing in that role, Mattison has proven to be a very good backup during his career.
While White doesn’t have a ton of experience as a starter, he did show out over the final four games of last season when Jacobs was sidelined due to injury. White had two games over the century mark and tallied 397 yards and one touchdown in total in that span while adding nine catches for 60 yards.
So, how will things work in the Raiders’ backfield in 2024? Let’s break down the depth chart.
Raiders RB depth chart
| Position | Player |
| RB1 | Zamir White |
| RB2 | Alexander Mattison |
| RB3 | Ameer Abdullah |
| RB4 | Dylan Laube |
The Raiders have had White atop the depth chart all offseason long and there has been nothing to suggest he won’t get the first crack at being the starting running back.
He will have the more experienced Mattison breathing down his neck, though, and it isn’t crazy to think the veteran could take the job if White falters. Bear in mind, the current Raiders regime isn’t the one that drafted White.
Mattison should be involved regardless, and there’s a chance he’ll take the majority of the passing-down work, also. Even still, White should have no issues grabbing at least 15 touches per game as long as he’s playing well, and he figures to be the preferred goal-line option thanks to his size and running style.
Fantasy football owners investing in White should look to grab Mattison later in drafts to make sure they don’t fall victim should White lose the job at some point.
In terms of the final two spots, you really don’t need to worry about Abdullah or Laube unless there are injuries to White and Mattison. We should note, however, that Laube could supplant Abdullah for RB3 at some point this season and has shown promise as a pass-catcher.