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The Las Vegas Raiders began training camp earlier in the week, and one noticeable player was missing: running back Josh Jacobs. The 2022 rushing champion is holding out of camp due to contract disputes with the team.
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Who is the Raiders' primary running back with Jacobs holding out? What is his fantasy football outlook? Let's take a look.
Who Is The Raiders Primary RB With Josh Jacobs Holding Out?
There's a chance that Jacobs could hold out throughout training camp and even into the regular season. That means the Raiders would need a running back to step up and take the RB1 role. The likely favorite to land that position is second-year player Zamir White.
Las Vegas selected White in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The rookie out of Georgia didn't get many opportunities to shine on offense in his first year. He had just 17 carries for 70 yards. But if the All-Pro back decides to sit out, there could more touches for the 23-year-old running back.
White would probably be the early down back over veterans Ameer Abdullah and Brandon Bolden. However, the team could also decide to bring in another veteran -- if they know Jacobs will not play this year on the franchise tag. The Raiders could pick up running backs like Leonard Fournette, Kareem Hunt, or Ezekiel Elliott.
Zamir White 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook
Assuming Jacobs misses games this season and the team keeps their running back search in-house, White will see a huge bump in playing time. ESPN lists him second on the depth chart with Abdullah coming third and Bolden fourth.
It's unlikely that White would carry a workload similar to Jacobs last year and probably would see more of a 50/50 split with the other running backs on the roster. However, if Jacobs does miss any games this season, the former Georgia star should be rostered in all formats.
The good news for those drafting in late August/early September is that we should know more about the Raiders' running back situation. For now, though, White should be the favorite to start with Abdullah mixing in behind him.
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