Las Vegas Raiders DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White's preseason performance on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys showed promise, highlighted by a 17-yard run that boosted his nightly total to 23 yards on four carries. While the stat line looks promising, it's important to note that most of his production came from a single play. As the Raiders' projected lead back, White has potential for fantasy managers. He could emerge as a solid RB2 with upside, especially if the Raiders' offensive line performs well. However, the presence of Alexander Mattison adds competition to the backfield. Fantasy managers should monitor this situation closely. White has the opportunity to solidify his role, but Mattison's talent could lead to a timeshare if White doesn't perform consistently. Keep an eye on early-season usage and efficiency to gauge White's long-term value in your fantasy lineups. His success will likely depend on maintaining his lead role and capitalizing on his opportunities in the Raiders' offense. Don't sleep on either back and be ready to pivot if the winds change in Vegas.

Baltimore Ravens running back Chris Collier received the most touches out of the backfield in the team's second preseason game on Saturday afternoon. The rookie back out of Lock Haven University finished the game with 12 carries for 29 yards and two catches for 22 yards on two targets. The ground game didn't see much work in this contest as the three quarterbacks combined to miss only four total throws, but Collier was a bit more efficient on the ground than Owen Wright who was the leading back in the first preseason game. The most efficient of the night was John Kelly Jr., but Collier seemed to be the one getting the bigger tryout. Either way, the running back depth chart is crowded with Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Keaton Mitchell, and Rasheen Ali, so this competition seems to be more for the end of the bench.

Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert rushed five times for seven yards during Saturday's victory against the Washington Commanders. He was not targeted in the passing game. Mostert was Miami's first RB in and out-carried his counterpart De'Von Achane by three. The 32-year-old only played the first series with the starters, as that was the Dolphins' lone possession of the first quarter. Running room was tough to find on a day when Washington's defense stifled Miami's ground game. The only player to rush for more than ten yards Saturday was backup RB Chris Brooks, who ran for a long gain of 59 yards. However, he gained just four yards on his other four carries. It wasn't a great showing for Mostert, but it is clear that he is still the Dolphins' preferred first option out of the backfield -- particularly in short-yardage situations. He's being selected as the RB23 as per Yahoo!'s ADP -- 42 picks after Achane -- and remains a strong option in fantasy drafts with built-in upside if the backfield were to become solely his.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith is reportedly seeking a new contract, according to Kole Musgrove of USA Today. Smith's current contract is set to expire after the conclusion of the 2025 season. NFL insider Mike Garafolo said on Jason Puckett's podcast that both sides have discussed a new deal. Garafolo further noted that it could be something that is settled by Week 1, but the Seattle front office is not in a rush to get the deal done. While Smith may be entering his age 33 season, he does not have a lot of miles on him as he served as a backup for several seasons with the Jets, Giants, and Seahawks before taking over the starting role. Smith is worth drafting as a low-end QB2 in superflex formats but could have some upside, given the high-quality pass catchers on his offense.

The Athletic's Tashan Reed writes that Las Vegas Raiders running backs Ameer Abdullah and rookie sixth-rounder Dylan Laube are in a position battle to determine who will be the third-down running back behind Zamir White and Alexander Mattison. Neither Abdullah nor Laube made much of an impact in the preseason opener last weekend against the Minnesota Vikings, so the competition remains a toss-up as of right now. The 31-year-old Abdullah probably has a leg up just because of his familiarity with the offense after catching 19 of his 24 targets in 2023 for 131 yards in 17 games played. However, unless one of White or Mattison miss time with an injury this year, it's hard to foresee Abdulla or Laube having much fantasy appeal outside of very deep PPR leagues.