5 bold predictions for Raiders against Chargers
By John Buhler
4. Peyton Barber will once again be the featured running back for the Raiders
With Josh Jacobs still on the mend, look for Peyton Barber to once again be the featured back for the Silver and Black’s rushing attack. The former Auburn star is coming off a big game for him with 23 carries for 111 yards and a rushing touchdown vs. the Miami Dolphins. Yes, this game went well into overtime, but he had nearly three times the carries of former Dolphin Kenyan Drake.
While we should not expect Barber or any Raiders running back to scamper for over 100 yards on the ground, look for him to get the bulk of the carries until Jacobs is able to return. Should Jacobs be able to return for the Raiders this week, that might change some things, but for the time being, it does not seem like Drake will be the featured back for the Raiders under any capacity this year.
As far as what a potential stat line could look like for Barber, he should have around 15 carries for a tick over 65 yards on the ground. While one may be tempted to start him in fantasy this week, keep in mind this is the final game of the Week 4 slate, and he is not going to match what he did vs. the Dolphins last week. However, he will be getting the bulk of the carries if Jacobs is out.
The Raiders will be a run-first football team for as long as Jon Gruden is their head coach.