The Las Vegas Raiders are in an interesting position when it comes to the running back position NFL free agency. With last year’s first-round pick, Ashton Jeanty, on the roster, Las Vegas doesn’t need to draft a bell cow. However, new head coach Klint Kubiak is known for using a two-back system and said during the regrouping that the Raiders would look for a complement to Jeanty.
So while the Silver and Black have nearly $90 million and the second-most cap space in the league, according to Over the hoodthe club doesn’t need to be a major player in the running back market this offseason. Presumably, that throws cold water on Kubiak and Kenneth Walker III, widely considered the best player at the position on the open market, reunited in Vegas after winning the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks last month.
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If Walker is off the table, what are the Raiders’ best options at running back in free agency? Using Focus on professional football, Athletics And NFL.com rankings, let’s take a look.
Tyler Allgeier
PFF ranking: 30 total (RB5)
Athletics: 70 (RB6)
NFL.com: 97 (RB6)
Allgeier rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a fifth-round rookie four years ago, but the Atlanta Falcons used a first-round pick on Bijan Robinson the following offseason. This pushed Allgeier down the depth chart and caused him to no longer receive 210 brings to 186, 137 and 143 in each of the last three seasons, respectively. As a result, he hasn’t topped 700 rushing yards since 2022. But the soon-to-be 26-year-old has been productive as an RB2, going from 683 rushing yards to 514 in that role, and is a good short-yardage option who has 18 rushing touchdowns in four seasons. Additionally, he was PFF’s second highest rated (70.7) running back in pass protection last season. That being said, Allgeier might be looking for an opportunity to prove himself as a leader, something he wouldn’t have in Vegas.
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Rachaad White
PFF ranking: 43 (RB9)
Athletics: 61 (RB5)
NFL.com: 77 (RB4)
Along the same lines, White only spent one out of four seasons as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ leading rusher. The Bucs had Leonard Fournette in his first year and drafted Bucky Irving before his third season. As a result, White’s most productive campaign came in 2023, when he had career highs in carries (272) and rushing yards (990). However, the 2022 third-round pick has posted decent numbers while playing second fiddle to Fournette and Iriving, recording 481 rushing yards as a rookie and 613 and 572 over the past two seasons, respectively. Additionally, White has averaged 4.3 yards per carry over the past two years and adds value to the passing game with 1,450 career receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, while also being solid in pass protection. By PFFhe allowed just six pressures on 73 opportunities last season.
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Kenneth Gainwell
Kenneth Gainwell
PFF ranking: 64 (RB10)
Athletics: 86 (RB8)
NFL.com: 63 (RB3)
Gainwell has been complementary throughout his career, playing behind Miles Sanders, D’Andre Swift and Saquon Barkley during his four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jaylen Warren last fall with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The former high school quarterback is a dynamic athlete who made his mark as a pass catcher in the NFL, catching 175 catches for 1,207 yards and four touchdowns in five years. He is coming off career highs with 73 catches for 486 yards during the regular season, which ranks him fourth and fifth among running backs, respectively. So if the Raiders are looking to offload some of the passing game responsibilities on Jeanty’s shoulders, Gainwell might be their best option. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he has career highs in rushing yards (537) and yards per carry (4.7) in 2025, and can contribute as a kick returner.
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Brian Robinson
PFF ranking: 71 (RB11)
Athletics: NR
NFL.com: NR
To say the least, Robinson has had an interesting NFL career thus far. It started when he got shot and missed the first four games of his rookie campaign before rushing to nearly 800 yards in just 12 games and nine departures for Washington commanders. Then the Alabama product recorded over 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns from scrimmage the following year and fell one yard short of 800 rushing yards and eight scores in 2024. Despite his yards per carry improving each season in Washington, peaking with 4.3 ypc, the Commanders traded him to the San Francisco 49ers last spring. Robinson sat behind Christian McCaffery in San Francisco and saw his workload cut in half, recording a career-high 100 touches after having 207 the previous season. The soon-to-be 27-year-old has struggled with injuries during his tenure in the league, only appearing in 17 games last year. However, Robinson could pique the Raiders’ interest as an RB2, and it helps that he has experience playing in an offense similar to Kubiak’s.
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Rico Dowdle
PFF ranking: 16 (RB4)
Athletic: 53 (RB4)
NFL.com: 86 (RB5)
Dowdle made headlines last year with an impressive mid-season performance, recording 652 rushing yards (6.3 ypc) and three rushing touchdowns in addition to 112 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in weeks 5 to 9. This led to consecutive years with over 1,000 yards rushing and over 1,300 yards from scrimmagesince he posted similar numbers with the Dallas Cowboys in 2024. However, the former Cowboy/Carolina Panther had just 424 rushing yards (3.2 ypc) and 185 receiving yards in the other 12 matches of the campaign. This suggests he is more of a high-end complementary back than a leader, which is something the Raiders should be looking for. Signing the 27-year-old (who turns 28 in June) would give the offense someone behind Jeanty who can contribute on the field and as a pass catcher out of the backfield.
Honorable mentions: Najee Harris, JK Dobbins, Michael Carter
