Maybe you saw the story in March where Mike Mayock said he expected Josh Jacobs' role in the passing game to increase in 2020. He said it, but actions speak louder than words. The Raiders keep bringing in other players as candidates for those chances.
They lost DeAndre Washington, but they still have Jalen Richard. They drafted Lynn Bowden in the third round, and announced him as a running back. (He was primarily a wide receiver his first two years at Kentucky, catching 67 passes as a sophomore, before working more as a running back last year.) They reportedly tried to sign Frank Gore (seriously!) before adding former Bronco Devontae Booker yesterday. Booker had a third-down role for most of his time in Denver; if he makes the team, that would likely be his area to contribute, picking up some of Washington's snaps.
How, exactly, can we have confidence in Mayock's words in this area? Jacobs wasn't a big part of the passing game as a rookie, and it's difficult to see that changing in 2020, given the team's offseason moves.
Table shows all running backs who last year accounted for at least 5 percent of their team's receptions. Richard and Washington each accounted for nearly twice as much of the passing game as Jacobs. That will probably be Richard's role again, with Bowden and Booker (if he makes the team) also getting some chances. Jacobs in this regard was down with Adrian Peterson and Marlon Mack among starting running backs a year ago.
| RUNNING BACK RECEIVING, 2019, PERCENT OF TEAM | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | %Rec | %Yds | %TD |
| Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 116 | 1,005 | 4 | 30% | 24% | 24% |
| Austin Ekeler, LAC | 92 | 993 | 8 | 23% | 21% | 33% |
| Tarik Cohen, Chi. | 79 | 456 | 3 | 21% | 13% | 15% |
| Leonard Fournette, Jac. | 76 | 522 | 0 | 21% | 13% | 0% |
| LeVeon Bell, NYJ | 66 | 461 | 1 | 20% | 13% | 5% |
| Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 81 | 533 | 1 | 19% | 12% | 3% |
| James White, N.E. | 72 | 645 | 5 | 19% | 16% | 20% |
| Dalvin Cook, Min. | 53 | 519 | 0 | 17% | 14% | 0% |
| Jaylen Samuels, Pitt. | 47 | 305 | 1 | 15% | 9% | 6% |
| Nyheim Hines, Ind. | 44 | 320 | 0 | 14% | 10% | 0% |
| Chris Thompson, Was. | 42 | 378 | 0 | 14% | 12% | 0% |
| Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 54 | 420 | 2 | 14% | 9% | 7% |
| Saquon Barkley, NYG | 52 | 438 | 2 | 14% | 11% | 7% |
| Royce Freeman, Den. | 43 | 256 | 1 | 14% | 8% | 6% |
| Aaron Jones, G.B. | 49 | 474 | 3 | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| Devonta Freeman, Atl. | 59 | 410 | 4 | 13% | 8% | 14% |
| Miles Sanders, Phil. | 50 | 509 | 3 | 13% | 13% | 11% |
| Duke Johnson, Hou. | 44 | 410 | 3 | 12% | 10% | 11% |
| Kareem Hunt, Cle. | 37 | 285 | 1 | 12% | 7% | 5% |
| Nick Chubb, Cle. | 36 | 278 | 0 | 11% | 7% | 0% |
| Phillip Lindsay, Den. | 35 | 196 | 0 | 11% | 6% | 0% |
| Jamaal Williams, G.B. | 39 | 253 | 5 | 11% | 6% | 19% |
| Chris Carson, Sea. | 37 | 266 | 2 | 11% | 6% | 6% |
| James Conner, Pitt. | 34 | 251 | 3 | 11% | 8% | 17% |
| Melvin Gordon, LAC | 42 | 296 | 1 | 11% | 6% | 4% |
| David Johnson, Ariz. | 36 | 370 | 4 | 10% | 10% | 20% |
| J.D. McKissic, Det. | 34 | 233 | 1 | 10% | 6% | 4% |
| Joe Mixon, Cin. | 35 | 287 | 3 | 10% | 7% | 17% |
| Jalen Richard, Oak. | 36 | 323 | 0 | 10% | 8% | 0% |
| DeAndre Washington, Oak. | 36 | 292 | 0 | 10% | 7% | 0% |
| Devin Singletary, Buff. | 29 | 194 | 2 | 10% | 6% | 10% |
| Dare Ogunbowale, T.B. | 35 | 286 | 0 | 9% | 6% | 0% |
| Mark Ingram, Balt. | 26 | 247 | 5 | 9% | 7% | 14% |
| Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 30 | 234 | 0 | 8% | 6% | 0% |
| Dion Lewis, Ten. | 25 | 164 | 1 | 8% | 4% | 3% |
| Latavius Murray, N.O. | 34 | 235 | 1 | 8% | 5% | 3% |
| Ronald Jones, T.B. | 31 | 309 | 0 | 8% | 6% | 0% |
| Damien Williams, K.C. | 30 | 213 | 2 | 8% | 5% | 7% |
| Kenyan Drake, Ariz. | 28 | 171 | 0 | 8% | 5% | 0% |
| Todd Gurley, LAR | 31 | 207 | 2 | 8% | 4% | 9% |
| LeSean McCoy, K.C. | 28 | 181 | 1 | 7% | 4% | 3% |
| Rex Burkhead, N.E. | 27 | 279 | 0 | 7% | 7% | 0% |
| Ty Johnson, Det. | 24 | 109 | 0 | 7% | 3% | 0% |
| David Montgomery, Chi. | 25 | 185 | 1 | 7% | 5% | 5% |
| Tevin Coleman, S.F. | 21 | 180 | 1 | 6% | 4% | 4% |
| Patrick Laird, Mia. | 23 | 204 | 0 | 6% | 5% | 0% |
| Boston Scott, Phil. | 24 | 204 | 0 | 6% | 5% | 0% |
| Derrick Henry, Ten. | 18 | 206 | 2 | 6% | 5% | 7% |
| Kyle Juszczyk, S.F. | 20 | 239 | 1 | 6% | 6% | 4% |
| Kenyan Drake, Mia. | 22 | 174 | 0 | 6% | 4% | 0% |
| Matt Breida, S.F. | 19 | 120 | 1 | 6% | 3% | 4% |
| Adrian Peterson, Was. | 17 | 142 | 0 | 6% | 4% | 0% |
| Josh Jacobs, Oak. | 20 | 166 | 0 | 5% | 4% | 0% |
| C.J. Ham, Min. | 17 | 149 | 1 | 5% | 4% | 4% |
| Ameer Abdullah, Min. | 15 | 88 | 1 | 5% | 2% | 4% |
| Marlon Mack, Ind. | 14 | 82 | 0 | 5% | 2% | 0% |
I like Jacobs; he had a nice rookie season. But if he's not getting the passing game work, will be tough for him to move up into the elite fantasy running backs. Last year he ranked 14th in standard scoring, just 21st in PPR. That's ground he won't make up if other backs are getting those chances.
--Andy Richardson