After impressing new Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce enough over the last month of the season to part ways with Josh Jacobs and forego making any major additions to the running back room this offseason, Zamir White is positioned to have a very valuable fantasy opportunity this upcoming year.
What can fantasy football managers expect from White heading into his first season as the projected starting running back of the Raiders?
Should You Select Zamir White at His Current ADP?
PPR Industry Consensus ADP: 70th Overall (RB22)
- Strong Finish to 2023: White impressed as the Raiders’ lead back over the final four games of the 2023 season, posting solid fantasy numbers, including a stretch where he was the RB9 overall in full-PPR formats.
- Volume-Driven Production: White’s 84 carries over the last four games of the season tied for the most in the league during that span. His 4.7 YPC during this stretch and projected workload suggest a strong fantasy floor heading into 2024.
- Limited Passing Game Involvement: While White’s rushing volume is encouraging, his minimal involvement in the passing game (only nine receptions for 60 yards during the final four games) limits his ceiling in full-PPR formats.
- Offensive Philosophy: New head coach Antonio Pierce favors a strong ground game, which bodes well for White’s role as the lead back. The presence of playmakers like Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers should help prevent stacked boxes against White.
- Passing Downs Competition: White may lose some work in passing situations to rookie Dylan Laube, who was drafted for his pass-catching ability, but White’s role in short-yardage and goal-line situations enhances his fantasy value.
- ADP Analysis: White is currently being drafted as the RB22, which positions him as a low-end RB2 or strong Flex option. His projected workload, especially as a rusher, makes him a valuable pick in the seventh round, particularly for teams that go receiver-heavy early in drafts.
- Final Verdict: White offers solid value at his current ADP. While the Raiders’ offense may not be a powerhouse, his volume and role in the offense make him a worthwhile pick in the middle rounds.
PFN Consensus PPR Fantasy Ranking for Zamir White
Note that these rankings are the PFN Consensus Rankings and may not fully match my analysis.
53) Stefon Diggs, WR | Houston Texans
54) Trey McBride, TE | Arizona Cardinals
55) DK Metcalf, WR | Seattle Seahawks
56) Terry McLaurin, WR | Washington Commanders
57) Rashee Rice, WR | Kansas City Chiefs
58) Zamir White, RB | Las Vegas Raiders
59) Christian Kirk, WR | Jacksonville Jaguars
60) James Conner, RB | Arizona Cardinals
61) Anthony Richardson, QB | Indianapolis Colts
62) Zack Moss, RB | Cincinnati Bengals
63) Najee Harris, RB | Pittsburgh Steelers
Zamir White’s Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
There can be a lot of noise to sort through when trying to extrapolate a strong final month of an NFL regular season and project them over an entire 17-game campaign to predict future fantasy success.
White is one of the most recent excellent examples of this exercise, because his four-game stretch as the team’s leading back certainly suggests he can be a fantasy producer when given an opportunity.
Zamir White’s Fantasy Production from Weeks 15-18
- Week 15: 17 carries for 69 rushing yards and TD (RB12)
- Week 16: 22 carries for 145 rushing yards (RB17)
- Week 17: 20 carries for 71 rushing yards (RB16)
- Week 18: 25 carries for 112 rushing yards (RB20)
During this stretch, White was the RB9 overall in full-PPR formats, and his 84 rush attempts actually tied for the most carries in the league with Najee Harris in that span. His 4.7 yards per carry (YPC) over that timeframe (4.3 YPC for the season) with that type of elite volume means fantasy managers could have something on their hands with White as a viable fantasy RB2 option with some plausible upside this season.
Sure, White’s usage in the passing game didn’t exactly give fantasy managers a ton of reasons to get excited about his fantasy floor in full-PPR formats — he recorded just nine receptions for 60 yards through those four games — but his volume of work as a ball carrier provides a fantasy floor of its own in some regards.
If Pierce proved anything during his time as the interim head coach, it’s that he considers a strong ground attack and defense as core tenets of his philosophy. Could this change with new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy at the helm? Sure, but the options at quarterback don’t exactly scream pass-heavy offense this upcoming season.
Teams will still have to respect Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and dynamic rookie tight end Brock Bowers in the passing game — which should ensure White won’t be running into stacked boxes all the time.
Now, one area where White will probably lose some work is during passing downs, considering the team added New Hampshire RB Dylan Laube on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Laube is an exceptional pass-catching option out of the backfield who shows receiver-like ability to get open and catch the ball away from his frame, which he does at a much higher level than White. Yet, this lack of receiving work upside is nullified by White’s projected role in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
Is White a Good Value in Fantasy Drafts?
White’s current ADP sits at No. 70 overall as the RB22 off the board in fantasy drafts, which puts him in the same range as Harris, D’Andre Swift, Jaylen Warren, and Zack Moss.
The Raiders’ offense isn’t exactly projected to be a juggernaut this upcoming season, but White’s usage in his limited sample size suggests he could see the most carries of this group in 2024.
White’s value as a low-end RB2 in the seventh round is certainly worth a look if you decide to go receiver-heavy or select a top QB or TE in the early rounds. His projected role should give fantasy managers a nice Flex option at the position at a major discount on draft day.
