Las Vegas Raiders DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Dylan Laube is making an early case for playing time in training camp this summer. "I hope so. He is off to a great start," offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. "He has a great feel for it, and he doesn't have the errors as far as what his responsibilities are. That's really cool to see from such a young guy." Laube was selected in the sixth round in April out of New Hampshire and has a long ways to go before he's a realistic option in the Raiders backfield in his first NFL season. As of right now, the 24-year-old is behind Zamir White, Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah, so it would likely take an injury or two to the RBs ahead of him for him to become a realistic waiver-wire pickup in standard fantasy leagues in 2024. However, the 5-foot-10, 208-pounder is one to keep an eye on for the rest of camp and the preseason.

Los Angeles Chargers running backs Kimani Vidal and Isaiah Spiller are locked into a positional battle for the No. 3 running back spot behind Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins (Achilles). With Dobbins recovering from injury and Edwards no stranger to injury himself, this team's No. 3 running back is an important position. Spiller is the incumbent but also a product of the previous regime. Spiller has only rushed for a total of 137 yards on 2.5 YPC in two seasons in the NFL. Vidal was a sixth-round pick out of Troy in April's draft. With a solid size-to-speed ratio, Vidal is an exciting young prospect. If Dobbins and Edwards get and stay healthy through training camp, then it is more likely that this positional battle will come down to blocking acumen and special team play. Given that Vidal is the pick of the Harbaugh regime and Spiller has been so abysmal to start his career, Vidal may be able to separate himself. If he wins the job and Dobbins or Edwards gets injured, Vidal could be a sneaky fantasy add in a Chargers offense that projects to be run-heavy.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kyle Philips kicked off his NFL career in 2022 by leading the team in targets (nine) in his debut. However, he has since been either injured or unproductive. Overall, he's hauled in just 23 of his 35 targets for 259 yards in 13 career games. After the additions of wide receivers Calvin Ridley, Tyler Body, and sixth-round rookie Jha'Quan Jackson this offseason, Philips finds himself on the roster bubble, according to John Glennon of the Nashville Post. "Philips will head into training camp battling for a roster spot," Glennon wrote. "The 2022 fifth-round pick has to show the quick-separation ability that initially drew the Titans to him, and he'll have to earn his way into opportunities to return punts once again. Rookie Jha'Quan Jackson, a faster slot receiver with return abilities, will provide stiff competition." Whether Philips makes the roster or not, it would be surprising if he makes a fantasy football impact in 2024.

When asked who the Las Vegas Raiders' starting quarterback is heading into training camp at the end of July, wide receiver Davante Adams thinks it's Aidan O'Connell over newcomer Gardner Minshew. "I want whoever is going to look the best when it's live bullets... I think right now if I had to say, I think Aidan has the job," Adams said. O'Connell has the experience running the offense from 2023, but given the two-year, $25 million investment in Minshew this offseason, it wouldn't be a surprise if Minshew takes the job from O'Connell in camp and the preseason. Both signal-callers didn't look great during OTAs and minicamp, and O'Connell was up and down in 10 starts in 2023 in his rookie season. Whoever wins the Raiders job under center to open the 2024 campaign will be a low-end QB2 option for fantasy managers in superflex formats.

The Las Vegas Raiders did select rookie tight end Brock Bowers with the 13th overall pick in April, but he will have to earn a starting role in 2024. Bowers has a dynamic skill set as a pass-catcher and can line up as an in-line tight end, outside receiver or inside as a slot receiver. He has good hands, athleticism and speed, and is adept at picking up yards after the catch. The downside is that he's a little undersized at 6-foot-3, 243 pounds and was a questionable blocker in college at Georgia. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's run-first scheme asks a lot out of TEs in the run game, so Bowers will have to make strides there to stay on the field and hold off last year's second-rounder, Michael Mayer. Mayer isn't as explosive as Bowers, but he made substantial growth as a blocker last year and is a talented receiver in his own right. If they both stay healthy, Bowers has the much higher fantasy ceiling.