Zamir

White

Mayer has been sidelined since injuring his ankle in Week 12 against the Browns. Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said he expects rookie WR Jack Bech to be more involved with Thornton, a fellow rookie, sidelined this week. Thornton has caught just 8-of-25 targets for 123 yards this season, though, so his absence in the passing game is hardly significant. Bech should not be started against the Broncos’ elite defense. Raiders EDGE Maxx Crosby (knee) is active, as expected.

Mayer was unable to practice all week, rehabbing an ankle injury. He has had bouts of fantasy relevance this year when Brock Bowers has been sidelined, but the Raiders haven’t built a consistent enough passing game for anyone but Bowers to be an easy start. O’Connell will be available to the team as the emergency third quarterback. Holmes’ illness-induced absence against a talented Chargers passing attack is unfortunate. Raiders DT Adam Butler (illness) is active, though.

When asked whether the injury could limit Jeanty in practice this week, Carroll said he hasn’t “heard that it would yet.” The Raiders’ RB1 totaled 108 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in Week 12’s loss to the Browns and is one of the very few bright spots for the offense. It doesn’t sound like Carroll is overly concerned about Jeanty’s injury sidelining him for Week 13 against the Chargers. If he were to miss this week’s game, Zamir White would figure to step in on early downs.

The Raiders enter their showdown with the Cowboys as one of the healthier teams in the league. Raheem Mostert should serve as the primary change of pace option in the backfield behind starter Ashton Jeanty.

The Raiders get back S Lonnie Johnson, who broke his leg in training camp. Rookies, DT Tonka Hemingway and WR Dont’e Thornton, are active tonight as well. The Raiders will ostensibly use the next few weeks to see if one or more of their rookie wide receivers, including Jack Bech, can unseat one of head coach Pete Carroll’s favorites, WR Tyler Lockett.

Mayer’s absence reduces TE Brock Bowers’ positional target competition. Bowers logged a season-high 55 offensive snaps last week after Mayer exited in the first quarter. Bowers is an elite TE1 against a Bears defense missing starting slot CB Kyler Gordon (hamstring) and LB T.J. Edwards (hamstring). Through three games, the unit tied for a league-high 24 receptions allowed to opposing tight ends. The Raiders are also notably keeping RB Raheem Mostert active for the first time this season, while rendering White inactive. Mostert is unlikely to be fantasy-relevant, but he could run efficiently on a handful of carries in a change-of-pace role.

We wouldn’t read too much into this just yet. While Carroll appears open to using multiple backs in his offense, it’s worth pointing out that during his two years coaching Kenneth Walker in Seattle (2022-2023), Walker enjoyed a 31 percent opportunity share while handling 61 percent of the team’s rush attempts — which ranked fifth-highest among running backs over that span. Jeanty is a legitimate three-down back sharing the field with 33-year-old Raheem Mostert and the underperforming duo of Zamir White and Sincere McCormick. While other backs will undoubtedly see work behind Jeanty, the rookie has appeared to live up to the hype in OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and should be in line for a high-end RB1 role as far as fantasy is concerned.

Tafur and Reed perhaps generously describe White as having “had some great moments in 2023 before falling off due to scheme, vision and injuries last season.” It would be unsurprising to see the Raiders waive White after the draft but acquiring a late-round pick for him is technically possible.

It will end his third season in the NFL. White was mostly the lead back for the first month of the year before fading into the background, he finished with a 65/183/1 rushing line. The uncertain future of the Raiders’ coaching staff and front office leaves White’s dynasty value in a tenuous place entering the final year of his rookie contract. He hasn’t taken advantage of the few opportunities he’s had this year.

Zamir White, on the other hand, remains out with a quad injury. Mattison participated in all three practices this week but never got upgraded to a full session, making him a true game-time call for Week 14. His return would signal the end of Sincere McCormick SZN. If Mattison doesn’t suit up, McCormick would serve as the Raiders’ primary early-down back, keeping him in the RB3 ranks for another week.