Fantasy Court: The Case Against Zamir White in 2024 (Fantasy Football)

This article is part of the annual Fantasy Court Series. Don't forget to read “The Case FOR Zamir White” by Kurt Mullen to hear the opposing view.

Opening speech

Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the panel, and everyone tuning in across the country, today I present the case that Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White is overrated in fantasy drafts. Yes, I know he's called “Zeus” because of his powerful, strong physical style. Still, his lack of pass-catching ability and inability to capitalize on meaningful opportunities before Josh Jacobs went down with a quad injury in Week 15 last season makes me skeptical about whether he will truly return his investment or exceed expectations at his current ADP RB24.

Zamir White is not Josh Jacobs

Yes, I know Josh Jacobs was traded to the Packers, leaving him with 56% of the team's runs and 10% of the team's targets (per UDK), but are we confident the Raiders will rely on Zamir White as their workhorse when their actions suggest otherwise? At RB24, the fantasy community seems convinced that White will step in and lead the charge, but there's little in his past to suggest he can fill that kind of role.

Josh Jacobs was drafted in the first round as a lead back in 2019 and has averaged at least 1,000 rushing yards every season — even while battling injuries. Zamir White was drafted in the fourth round and has never reached 1,000 yards in a season, even in college. Although they only have a 1.6-year age difference, the difference in their production and proven ability is significant. Mat Irby highlights this low-upside profile and why you should avoid it very well in his article Apex Drafting: Avoiding Low-Upside Profiles:

“White is a late-round NFL pick who didn't find his footing until well into his second year, and he's 24, which is older for a running back who hasn't yet broken through. He's caught 2.25 passes per game during that span, which is a decent rate, but otherwise he's not a pass receiver (and three other running backs on the team seem to be better at that than White). He's lacked efficiency in rushing (-1.4 rushing FPOE) and receiving (-3.4 receiving FPOE) during those four games.”

The opportunity came from an injury, not from talent

Zamir White never impressed coaches enough to earn a snap share or a chance in the first two years of his career. He never got above a 25% snap share before stepping in after Jacobs' injury in Week 14. White's limited playing time before that injury underscores my concerns about his prospects this season.

And what about his college days? You might think White was a dominant force in college, but that's not the case either. He never had the role of a true workhorse, even at the college level.

His college career was not marked by the kind of consistent, high-caliber production that usually indicates a player ready to take on a heavy workload at the professional level. He never took on an RB1 role and shared a backfield with James Cook. This lack of proven track record in the NFL and college reinforces skepticism about his ability to shine as a primary back. It's a red flag that should make us question his potential in the upcoming season.

An improved running back room

White was Josh Jacobs' backup last year, but who was behind White? Ameer Abdullah. Brandon Bolden.

These guys are the epitome of “wet guys” — and let's be honest, they're not even worth putting in dynasty leagues. This offseason, the Raiders brought in Alexander Mattison, who was in a similar situation to White last year. After the Vikings parted ways with Dalvin Cook, they turned to Mattison, who had never held a full-time position but excelled as part of a committee or as an injury replacement. Mattison averaged 20.1 fantasy points per game in six starts for Cook during the 2020-21 season. While he wasn't “the guy” for a leadership role, I believe he will diminish White's opportunities as a complement this season. While Mattison never lived up to expectations as a lead back, he is a great relief back who is a strong pass blocker and pass catcher — two things Zamir White did not excel at.

Next, the Raiders signed RB Dylan Laube from New Hampshire, one of the best pass catchers in this class. He amassed 2,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in his final two college seasons. With his NFL-ready skills, Laube is well-equipped to take advantage of opportunities, especially on third downs and passing situations. He has a 96 percent agility rating according to PlayerProfiler, making him a real threat to White's workload. I don't understand why Laube can't be integrated into the game plan with his skills.

White's performance came against weak defenses

Everyone is quick to point out White's fantastic performance at the end when he finally got his chance, but what is often overlooked is who that performance came against and the game dynamics that drove those numbers up. First, his performance came at the end of the season when he was a fresh running back against depleted defenses that had already played 15 grueling games.

But fatigue wasn't the only factor – he also faced some of the weaker defenses in the league, according to IDP+'s Team Fantasy Points Allowed By position Tool during this period that raises warning flags. Let's analyze the only four productive games of Zamir White's NFL career thus far so we can truly see the truth behind his RB9 score.

• Week 15: LAC – 10th for most fantasy points allowed to RBs
• Week 16: @KC – Okay, I’ll give him this game
• Week 17: @IND – 4th most fantasy points allowed to RBs
• Week 18: DEN – Second most fantasy points allowed to RBs

Preseason opener

In the last preseason game, the Raiders rotated all three running backs in the second quarter and even played White in the third quarter, showing that they really are taking a committee approach. It's pretty clear that they want to use multiple running backs and not just one workhorse.

Zamir White and Alexander Mattison played the same drives in two preseason games.

Week 1 – three trips:

– White: 45% snapshots, 55% attempts
– Mattison: 38%, 27%

Week 2 – eight trips:

– White: 35%, 33%
– Mattison: 33%, 42%

It's hard to trust White as a clear RB1.

— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) 19 August 2024

In my opinion, expecting White to take on Jacobs' role and play efficiently is quite a challenge, and with other proven running backs on the roster at this ADP, I'm not comfortable taking on that challenge.

RBs with more potential at White's ADP

RB22 – Rhamondre Stevenson: The seventh highest paid RB in the league and he's on the same level as Zamir White? I can't do that.

RB23 – Najee Harris: Najee and Zamir playing back-to-back is a crime. Come on, guys. What are we doing here? Najee has NEVER had a sub-1,000 yard season.

RB25 – Raheem Mostert: 21 TDs last season, in a hyper-efficient offense, with two consecutive 1,000+ yard seasons.

RB27 – Jonathon Brooks: The Panthers drafted him in the second round – the first running back drafted from last year. Insanely talented and outstanding in every area of ​​the field, including as a pass catcher.

Closing argument

Your Honor, I want you to take the time to consider my concerns about Zamir White. The Raiders themselves know they can't fully rely on White as a three-down back, especially with Alexander Mattison and Dylan Laube, both of whom are strong pass catchers, on the team. White's role as a “workhorse” in the backfield is far from guaranteed. His fantasy production could take a major hit if he continues to split the runs like we saw in the preseason. With limited potential as a pass catcher and no draft capital, he's a player I'd avoid at his current ADP, and so should you. A mere mortal, if you ask me. I have nothing more to say.