Raiders get discouraging injury updates ahead of Bengals game
The Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) have played well enough on defense to win each of their last two games, but the offense's inefficiency is keeping them in free fall. A worrisome quarterback situation places the onus on the running backs to dictate the pace of the game. Executing on the ground is naturally more taxing when the unit is at less than full health.
Zamir White missed Thursday's practice with a quadriceps injury, per Levi Damien of Raiders Wire. He logged a limited session on Wednesday because of the same issue, so the third-year RB is obviously moving backwards just days before Las Vegas faces the Cincinnati Bengals in Paycor Stadium. That is hardly the extent of the discouraging news, as linebacker Robert Spillane and center Andre James were also unable to get on the practice field.
This setback follows head coach Antonio Pierce's declaration that the squad needs to get the struggling White more touches. If the former Georgia Bulldogs national champion is ruled out for Sunday's matchup, then Ameer Abdullah could see a decent amount of caries behind starting back Alexander Mattison.
Raiders need last year's version of Zamir White
Plenty of fans anticipated a breakout campaign for White after he totaled 451 rushing yards last season, but the 25-year-old is scuffling tremendously in 2024-25 to this point (Mattison is not much better, to be fair). He is mustering a meager 3.0 yards per attempt in six games, causing both Raider Nation and fantasy managers to wonder what is going on with the 2022 fourth-round draft pick.
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Pierce still believes in Zamir White, however. Another effective ball-carrier would be a vital boost for an offense that is desperate to manufacture first-downs on a consistent basis. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy might already be on the hot seat, and the best way for him to cool off could be by utilizing another weapon like White.
That might not be a possibility in Week 9, though. The Raiders will closely monitor his status, but late injury downgrades often result in Sunday inactivity. They must lean heavily on their intangibles, which have been infrequent this season, in order to defeat Joe Burrow and the Bengals (3-5).
