The Las Vegas Raiders got two different performances from running backs Zamir White and Alexander Mattison in Week 1 vs. the Los Angeles Chargers.
Now, heading into Week 2, which player is the better choice for fantasy football managers to put in their lineups?
Should You Start Zamir White or Alexander Mattison This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s Consensus Rankings say that White is the player to start.
His projected 8.7 points include a projection of 49 rush yards, one reception, and 11 receiving yards. That outperforms Mattison’s consensus projection (5.8 points, 24 rush yards, one reception, and 10 receiving yards).
My ranking for these two Raiders running backs aligns with the consensus. While Mattison spent more time on the field than White in Week 1, the difference in production between the two running backs could mean that gap will tighten, and perhaps even reverse, as the season progresses.
White’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
Despite only being on the field for 23 offensive snaps in Week 1, White had a game-high 13 rush attempts. He was hardly productive in his time with his carries, finishing with just 44 rushing yards and 3.4 yards per carry. In addition, White only had a pair of one-yard receptions.
The fact that he had more rush attempts than any player on either team last week should not be a surprise for fantasy managers. Over his final four games of the 2023 season, all coming as starts, White averaged 21 rush attempts a game and nearly 100 rushing yards (99.3). White also caught nine passes over those final four games.
It was those numbers that no doubt left fantasy managers assuming that momentum would carry over into this season. So, while the Week 1 numbers were hardly at a Pro Bowl level, there is reason to assume White will continue to get opportunities.
Mattison’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
Mattison was on the field for 60% of the Raiders’ offensive snaps (36), Mattison received more targets (six) than he had rush attempts (five) last week vs. the Chargers.
And he proved to be far more impactful as a pass catcher out of the backfield than as a runner. Mattison finished with four receptions for 43 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He was one of only three running backs that had a touchdown reception in Week 1 (the other two were Zach Charbonnet and Saquon Barkley).
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While Mattison’s 16.2 fantasy points were only 18th among running backs, it was still a better fantasy performance than bigger running back names like Bijan Robinson (16.1), Isiah Pacheco (15.8), and Kyren Williams (14.4).
Mattison once again showed that his receiving skills make him a player fantasy managers should consider when he is on the waiver wire. Since the start of last season, Mattison now has four touchdown receptions and zero rushing touchdowns — despite a combined 185 rush attempts over the last two seasons.
Mattison, White, and the Raiders will be facing one of the league’s best defenses this week on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens allowed only 72 rushing yards in their Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kyle Soppe’s Week 2 Fantasy Outlook for White
Zamir White: Hand up if you had “Alexander Mattison 31-yard touchdown catch that includes hurdling a defender” on your Week 1 bingo card.
Yea, me neither. We were under no illusion that White was going to be this highly efficient runner, but we did think his volume would be safe. Now, I’m not so sure.
White opened the season with carries of zero, zero, and negative-one yard, inspiring nightmares about what we saw from a better runner in Josh Jacobs last season, the year following a 2,000-yard campaign.
I’m worried. Jacobs finished Week 1 53.7% below expectations in terms of fantasy point total, a number White nearly matched on Sunday (negative-48.7%). Factor in that he lost a fumble on his lone explosive run and that Mattison might be more of a threat than we assumed and the bottom is at serious risk of falling out.
White, Devin Singletary, and Jerome Ford are clumped at the back end of my Flex tier for this week; while I’m confident they all get their 15+ touches, I’m not sold any of them reach 15 fantasy points.