Does Theo Riddick signing impact Josh Jacobs’ fantasy value?
By John Buhler
Could Theo Riddick impact Josh Jacobs’ fantasy football value in 2020?
Theo Riddick may not have played last year, but he is now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. Given that the Silver and Black love to pound the rock under head coach Jon Gruden, Josh Jacobs is expected to have a monstrous fantasy football season. However, he does need to improve as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Could the addition of Riddick impact Jacobs’ fantasy value?
The Fantasy Footballers assess any potential impact the Riddick signing by the Raiders could have one Jacobs’ fantasy value. While Jason Moore views the signing as inconsequential because he’s not even surest Riddick makes the Raiders’ roster out of fall camp, Mike Wright tends to think this could have some potential fantasy impact, but not as significant as we should believe it to be.
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The guys view Jacobs as a bona fide RB1 this year. He should be coming off the board as RB5 or RB6 in most fantasy leagues. Of course, there are guys like Christian McCaffrey of the Carolina Panthers, Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys and Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants who will come off the board before him. However, Jacobs should do just fine this season in Las Vegas.
Are there more receptions out of the Raiders’ backfield than we think?
Along with Jacobs and now Riddick in the Raiders backfield are Jalen Richard, Devontae Booker and Lynn Bowden Jr. Richard has been with the Silver and Black for several years now, as he’s the elder statesmen of the running back room, if you can believe that. Booker played for the division rival Denver Broncos. Bowden is a 2020 NFL Draft pick out of the University of Kentucky.
Another thing of note here is D’Andre Washington is now longer with the Raiders. He and Richard served as the backup running backs to Jacobs and Marshawn Lynch before that, catching plenty of balls out of the backfield from Derek Carr. Washington’s backfield receptions are there for the taking, whether that’s by Jacobs, Richard, Riddick or whoever. Who will end up grabbing them?
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Ultimately, Riddick will not have a major impact on Jacobs’ fantasy ceiling this season. Jacobs is going to get his and then some. However, it does bring to question if Gruden really thinks Jacobs is a back capable of hauling in 40 balls as a receiver. With Carr as a bit of a checkdown artist, and the same thing can be applied to his backup Marcus Mariota, this is important. Maybe Riddick stays?