The Las Vegas Raiders are in an interesting spot when it comes to the running back position heading into NFL free agency. With last year’s first-round pick Ashton Jeanty on the roster, Las Vegas doesn’t need to sign a bell-cow back. However, new head coach Klint Kubiak is known for using a two-back system and said at the combine that the Raiders will be looking for a complement to Jeanty.
So, while the Silver and Black have nearly $90 million and the second-most cap space in the league, per Over The Cap, the club doesn’t need to be a big player in the running back market this offseason. Presumptively, that pours cold water on Kubiak and Kenneth Walker III, widely considered the top player at the position on the open market, reuniting in Vegas after winning the Super Bowl together with the Seattle Seahawks last month.
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If Walker is off the table, who are the Raiders’ top options at running back during free agency? Using Pro Football Focus’, The Athletic’s and NFL.com’s rankings, let’s take a look.
Tyler Allgeier
PFF ranking: 30 overall (RB5)
The Athletic: 70 (RB6)
NFL.com: 97 (RB6)
Allgeier rushed for over 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. That pushed Allgeier down the depth chart and has caused him to go from receiving 210 carries to 186, 137 and 143 in each of the last three seasons, respectively. As a result, he hasn’t surpassed 700 rushing yards since 2022. But the soon-to-be 26-year-old has been productive as an RB2, ranging from 683 rushing yards to 514 in that role, and is a good short-yardage option who has 18 touchdowns on the ground in four seasons. Also, he was PFF’s second-highest graded (70.7) running back in pass protection last season. That being said, Allgeier could be looking for an opportunity to prove himself as a lead back, which he wouldn’t get in Vegas.
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Rachaad White
PFF ranking: 43 (RB9)
The Athletic: 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 during his rookie year and drafted Bucky Irving ahead of 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 put up decent numbers while playing second fiddle to Fournette and Iriving, logging 481 rushing yards as a rookie and 613 and 572 over the last two seasons, respectively. Also, White has had 4.3 yards per carry over the last two years and adds value in the passing game with 1,450 career receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, while being solid in pass protection. Per PFF, he allowed just six pressures on 73 opportunities last season.
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Kenneth Gainwell
Kenneth Gainwell
PFF ranking: 64 (RB10)
The Athletic: 86 (RB8)
NFL.com: 63 (RB3)
Gainwell has been a complementary back his entire career, playing behind Miles Sanders, D’Andre Swift and Saquon Barkley during his four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jaylen Warren this past fall with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The former high school quarterback is a dynamic athlete who has made his mark as a pass-catcher in the NFL, hauling in 175 catches for 1,207 yards and four touchdowns in five years. He’s coming off career highs with 73 catches for 486 yards during the regular season, which ranked fourth and fifth among running backs, respectively. So, if the Raiders are looking to take some of the passing game responsibilities off Jeanty’s shoulders, Gainwell might be their best option. Also, it doesn’t hurt that he’s put up 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)
The Athletic: NR
NFL.com: NR
To say the least, Robinson has had an interesting NFL career so far. It began with him getting shot and missing the first four contests of his rookie campaign before rushing for nearly 800 yards in just 12 games and nine starts for the Washington Commanders. Then, the Alabama product logged over 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns from scrimmage the following year and fell one yard short of 800 rushing yards and had eight scores in 2024. Despite improving his yards per carry every season in Washington, culminating 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 get cut in half, recording a career low 100 touches after having 207 the previous season. The soon-to-be 27-year-old has battled injuries during his tenure in the league, only participating in all 17 games this past 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)
The Athletic: 53 (RB4)
NFL.com: 86 (RB5)
Dowdle made headlines last year with an impressive midseason performance, recording 652 rushing yards (6.3 ypc) and three rushing touchdowns on top of 112 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in Weeks 5-9. That led to back-to-back years with over 1,000 yards on the ground and more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage, as he put up 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 games of the campaign. That suggests he’s more of a high-end complementary back than a lead rusher, which is what the Raiders should be looking for. Signing the 27-year-old (turns 28 in June) would give the offense someone behind Jeanty who can contribute on the ground and as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.
Honorable mentions: Najee Harris, J.K. Dobbins, Michael Carter
