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Lance Fernandez evaluates if Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White is a workhorse running back and if he could be a breakout fantasy football candidate for 2024.
Zamir White won't play under Josh Jacobs' shadow anymore. However, the former Georgia running back will have giant shoes to fill after his All-Pro teammate signed with the Green Bay Packers.
The success of the Las Vegas Raiders running game will now heavily depend on White, even if they have Alexander Mattison, Ameer Abdullah, and Dylan Laube on the depth chart. Therefore, mastering Luke Getsy's offense could lead White to a breakout 2024 season.
While the Raiders coaching staff, especially running backs coach Cadillac Williams, likes what they see from White during training camp, he's not used to having the lion's share of the carries for Las Vegas. His role will vastly change with Jacobs out of the picture.
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Zamir White Fantasy Football Recap
White must adjust to his increased worth to the Raiders offense, especially since he didn't get many carries in his first two NFL seasons. As of 2023, he had 121 carries in 31 games, amounting to less than four per contest.
Conversely, Jacobs had 573 carries over the same stretch, including a career-high 340 in 2022. Getting that many opportunities helped him lead the league in rushing yards (1,653) and establish a career-high in touchdowns.
Jacobs averaged 261 carries per season while with the Raiders, and they might expect White to deliver the same amount as he steps into the starting running back role. Unfortunately, he hasn't been near that number in college and the pros.
Zamir White is gunna be a BEAST!!!!
Absolute steal at his value been saying it all year.— SleezBall Fantasy Football (@SleezBallFF) July 30, 2024
White's highest number of carries occurred in 2021, his final year with the Bulldogs. He finished his collegiate football career with 160 carries for 856 yards and 11 touchdowns. Those numbers signify that White hasn't been the workhorse running back the Raiders now envision him to portray.
However, getting fewer carries isn't his fault because he had to share the backfield limelight with others. In addition to Jacobs leading the way in his first two seasons with Las Vegas, Georgia also had James Cook and Kendall Milton to share the rock.
Zamir White Fantasy Football Outlook
While White hasn't been a workhorse running back in the past, he's working his way into being one. In addition to mastering Getsy's offense, he built on his conditioning during the offseason. In an article by The Athletic's Vic Tafur, White added six pounds of muscle by lifting weights at the makeshift gym on his farm.
He also fared well when he took over from the injured Jacobs late last year, including his 145-yard Christmas Day performance against the Kansas City Chiefs. Now that he's Las Vegas' leading backfield option, he will have more chances to replicate that performance.
FAN FAVORITE: It's only year two for Zamir White and #RaiderNation already loves themselves some Zeus.
As Robert Spillane put it, "Zamir is a tough, country S.O.B."
This #Raiders team can't wait for the rest of the league to find that out as the feature back. pic.twitter.com/O9b41vmbY0
— Logan Reever (@loganreever) July 26, 2024
In that case, opponents must strategize to slow him down, which is easier said than done because he's a physical running back who averaged 4.3 yards per rushing attempt. His increased role as a potential workhorse makes him an intriguing fantasy football option with a low-end RB2 pricetag.
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