Josh Jacobs

Jacobs' second season in the NFL was much like his first, for good and for bad. The 23-year-old runs with good power and balance, finishing sixth among RBs in broken tackles last year, but his tendency to run through contact rather than around it has contributed to a series of nagging injuries that have sapped his production without actually sidelining him. He's an adequate receiver and can fill a three-down role if needed, but he has room for improvement in that area, and coach Jon Gruden seemingly prefers to rest his lead runner in obvious passing situations. Jacobs' lack of breakaway speed was another issue last year, as he failed to produce a single carry of at least 40 yards. The Raiders' offensive line is also in the process of being completely rebuilt, forcing Jacobs to do more work for fewer yards. The team seemed to recognize some of those issues this offseason, but the solution doesn't look great for Jacobs' fantasy outlook, with Kenyan Drake joining the Raiders on a two-year, $11 million deal. Both backs are used to seeing significant touches in the red zone, with Jacobs leading the league in red-zone carries in 2020 while Drake finished fourth, and there won't be enough volume for both to thrive even if the Raiders mix in some dual-halfback sets. The two do possess complementary skill sets, so the tandem should improve the overall efficiency of the offense, but Jacobs may have trouble topping 300 touches again.

Jacobs entered the NFL as a talented but relatively unproven back who had never gotten a chance to fully carry the load during his college days at Alabama. The Raiders wasted little time in letting him prove he could be their top guy, and the rookie delivered, averaging 20.2 touches in 13 games (a lingering shoulder injury cost him three weeks in December). Often playing at less than 100 percent healthy, Jacobs displayed an impressive ability to plow through traffic with power and balance, finishing ninth in broken tackle rate (one for every 9.3 carries). Despite his generally successful first campaign, Jacobs still has some things to prove. That he wore down as the season progressed isn't exactly encouraging, and he wasn't a difference-maker as a receiving weapon, though the team's passing attack in general was a disappointment beyond TE Darren Waller. The Raiders are counting on rookies to spark improvement, with first-round pick Henry Ruggs and third-round pick Bryan Edwards joining Tyrell Williams to give the offense more of a downfield component. Ruggs, in particular, can prevent safeties from creeping toward the line to stop the run, with a 4.27 40 making him one of the fastest players in the league. Jacobs' lead role on the ground is safe, but room for receiving growth appears somewhat limited.

The first running back off the board in the 2019 draft, Jacobs landed in a potential starting role when Oakland nabbed him with the 24th overall pick. While he didn't carry a heavy workload in a crowded Alabama backfield during his college days, he impressed with what chances he got, showing a versatile skill set and running with power and purpose. At 5-10, 220, Jacobs runs with a low center of gravity, and he should see plenty of short-yardage and goal-line carries regardless of his other duties in the Oakland backfield. His balance and vision are also pluses, so while he lacks elusiveness and there are questions about his ability to outrun defenders in the open field, Jacobs can still pick up extra yards after the initial point of contact. He also showed enough as a receiver to stay on the field for passing downs, though he might never be a true difference-maker through the air and Jalen Richard will also be a factor in that area. The club signed Isaiah Crowell this offseason, but the former Brown and Jet quickly took himself out of the picture with a torn Achilles during April workouts and was replaced by Doug Martin. Marshawn Lynch retired, and the Raiders otherwise focused on upgrading their passing game with the additions of Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams, leaving Jacobs to spearhead the rushing attack.