Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White truly had one of the most unexpected seasons for fantasy managers in 2023. So can the third-year back be counted on to put up even better fantasy numbers this season? Or should they prepare for a drop-off in 2024?
Here is the fantasy football outlook for White entering this season.
Rachaad White’s Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
After a decent rookie season in 2022, White was one of the main benefactors from the outstanding season of Buccaneers’ quarterback Baker Mayfield. White finished 2023 with over 1,500 yards from scrimmage (1,539), nine total touchdowns and the fourth-most total fantasy points (267.9) among running backs last season.
There were other numbers that were impressive when breaking down White’s season. His catch percentage of 91.4% was the highest in the NFL among players who had at least 50 receptions last season. Over his first two seasons, White’s catch percentage is an exceptional 89%.
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On a team that featured productive receivers like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, White still got his fair share of touches last season, as he averaged nearly 20 touches a game (19.8).
What was most impressive about White’s season was how he got better as the season progressed. Over his first seven games, White averaged only 76.9 scrimmage yards a game and scored just one touchdown. But over his last 10 games, he averaged 100.1 scrimmage yards a game and scored eight times.
White’s production also showed up in fantasy numbers. Over a nine-game stretch from Week 8-16, White averaged nearly 20 fantasy points a game (19.7). For the season, he ranked 10th among running backs in fantasy points per game (15.8).
Is White a Good Fantasy Pick?
White is RB15 in Pro Football Network’s Consensus Fantasy Football Rankings as of Aug. 23. On the surface, this may seem a bit low, given his production from last season.
However, this ranking appears to indicate that experts do not trust that White will be able to duplicate his performance in 2023. Considering the quality receivers the Buccaneers have in Evans and Godwin and how, in his second season with Tampa Bay, Mayfield should be even more comfortable with that duo, expecting a decline of some kind isn’t unfair.
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After all, can fantasy managers really expect another season with a catch percentage in the 90% range? And, for all his success last season, White still did not gain 1,000 yards on the ground — finished with 990 — and his yards per rush attempt was well under four (3.6).
While White was a pleasant surprise for fantasy managers a season ago, it still doesn’t put him in elite status at the running back position. I’d like to see more from White before I select him anywhere before the middle rounds of a fantasy draft.