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While many fantasy football leagues conclude their championships in Week 17, Week 18 brings one final full slate of NFL games for DFS and the opportunity for fantasy glory in leagues that go until the end of the regular season.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been surprisingly fantasy-relevant in 2022, starting with the league’s leading rusher this season in RB Josh Jacobs.
With the Raiders RB missing practice all week it begs the question, is Josh Jacobs playing on Saturday? Should I start Josh Jacobs or should I pick up and start his backup Zamir White in Week 18?
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Is Josh Jacobs Playing In Week 18 Against The Chiefs?
Despite dealing with ailments to his foot, calf, quadriceps, finger, hip, and oblique throughout the year, Jacobs has yet to miss a game this season. He comes into Week 18 leading the league with 323 carries for 1,608 yards and 12 TDs on the ground to go along with 51 catches and 395 receiving yards.
Jacobs’ Week 18 status is in doubt though. After briefly exiting last Sunday's game with a hip injury, Jacobs missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday this week for personal reasons, likely to rest nagging hip and oblique ailments:
With Jacobs 160 rushing yards clear of fellow RB Nick Chubb for the NFL rushing title and the Raiders out of playoff contention, there won’t be much for the fourth-year back to play for this week. He is officially listed as questionable for Saturday afternoon’s game but coach Josh McDaniels said he is “hoping” that Jacobs will be on the field against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Is Zamir White Playing In Week 18 Against The Chiefs?
RB Zamir White was drafted by the Raiders in the fourth round of this past April’s NFL draft, one day after the team declined the fifth-year option of their incumbent starter Jacobs.
White showed great promise in college, capped off by helping lead the Georgia Bulldogs to a national championship last season after tallying 160 carries, 856 rushing yards, and 11 TDs. Despite seemingly being in line to compete for RB touches in the Raiders offense, the 23-year-old White has yet to make much impact in the NFL so far, failing to top 3 carries in any game this year.
White enters Saturday’s Week 18 matchup with a full week of practice under his belt after missing the last two games with an ankle injury. With QB Jarrett Stidham receiving rave reviews after his first start last week against the 49ers, the Raiders could be similarly inclined to see White’s potential as the future leader of the backfield in their last season game.
Should I Start Josh Jacobs Or Should I Start Zamir White On Saturday?
With Jacobs finishing a contract year looking to cash in as a free agent this offseason, and the Raiders not having much to play for this week, it is likely that he is in for less than his season average volume of 20.2 carries and 3.8 targets per game this week.
The Raiders will also likely take the opportunity to give White some meaningful snaps and see what the rookie is capable of.
Despite the potential drop in volume, Jacobs has been a threat to score from anywhere on the field this season and thus is difficult to sit in Week 18. Jacobs is a surefire RB1 this week if he plays, with White a low-floor flex play for managers willing to roll the dice.
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