Raiders RB Depth Will Be Important in New Offense

The Las Vegas Raiders will need several able bodies to effectively run the football in 2024.

Dec 10, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison (2) gains yardage against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders hired Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy this offseason, who comes over from the Chicago Bears. 

Getsy’s Bears had some of the best rushing attacks in football, ranking near the top of the league in rushing yards in the last two seasons. 

Elements of that rushing effectiveness will be present in Las Vegas this season as Getsy introduces his wide zone scheme. The Raiders were not a good rushing offense last season, ranking 30th in rushing yards per game. 

Las Vegas has the foundation for an effective rushing attack. The Raiders have a talented runner in Zamir White and an offensive line ready to block. Getsy just has to put all the pieces together. 

For the Raiders to improve as a rushing attack, a few things still need to work. One major element is that they need several backs to be able to take carries. 

Getsy’s Bears had three players who took over 100 carries in 2023, including quarterback Justin Fields. In 2022, three players -- Fields included -- had over 125 carries. 

Will Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew run the ball like that? No, but the Raiders have several running backs on the roster capable of taking lots of carries. 

Obviously, Zamir White will take the bulk of the carries, but he can’t be the only back on the team taking a large number of them. While Alexander Mattison is more of a pass-catching back, he will need to be able to rush out of the backfield to help spell White at times. 

The same goes for Ameer Abdullah and even rookie Dylan Laube. If the Raiders are going to be as effective as Getsy’s Bears were, all running backs need to do their part. 

The problem with that is, are the running backs on the roster ready to take that many carries? White should be, but as we mentioned, Mattison is more of a pass-catcher, Abdullah has more football behind him than in front of him, and Laube is just a rookie. 

Getsy can either adapt the running backs to his scheme or change his scheme to fit his players' strengths. If he chooses the former, his guys should be ready to run the rock. If he chooses the latter, the depth running backs still need to be prepared when their names are called. 

Whatever Getsy and the Raiders decide to do, they will need more than just White to be an effective rushing attack.

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