As soon as the Raiders hired Josh McDaniels, it was clear that Josh Jacobs’ days as a workhorse running back were over. Not only did the team decline his fifth-year option, but the Raiders drafted two running backs and signed multiple veterans in free agency.
McDaniels has always utilized a running back by committee and during his days as an offensive coordinator in New England, they would use as many as four different running backs in a single game.
Through a few weeks of camp, that’s been the biggest and clearest takeaway. In a recent article by Ian Hartitz of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about the Raiders and their running back by committee approach during camp:
“This has been a constant drumbeat all offseason. The Atheltic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed as well as Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson have all reported in one way or another that this will be a multi-back committee as opposed to the Josh Jacobs show.
The most intriguing fantasy option of the group might just be Kenyan Drake, who is reportedly fully recovered from last season’s broken ankle and is expected to maintain a “significant role” in the backfield as both a rusher and receiver.”
While an “RBBC” approach doesn’t produce a fantasy star, there are a lot of benefits to using multiple backs. Against some teams, there will be a player that is just a better matchup against a defense. It also allows players to stay fresher throughout the season, which is important for a postseason run.
Josh Jacobs is still likely to lead this running back in touches and probably touchdowns. However, the days of him receiving 25+ touches a game are now over. Instead, 14-16 touches per game are likely what the former first-round pick can expect during the 2022 season.
Look for Kenyan Drake, Zamir White and Brandon Bolden to all have significant roles in the offense this year.