Getty Oakland Raiders RB Josh Jacobs.
What an opening game for the Oakland Raiders‘ Josh Jacobs. The rookie running back accumulated 113 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns. It was an impressive debut for the top running back taken in the 2019 NFL Draft. Oakland needed a proper replacement for the recently retired Marshawn Lynch and based on early returns, the Raiders may have found their guy.
The people who are most happy are probably the ones who drafted Jacobs in their fantasy football league. He was seventh among all NFL backs in PPR points with 24.3. According to ESPN, Jacobs is the first player with 100 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns since LaDainian Tomlinson did it in 2001. The Raiders are very familiar with how Tomlinson’s career turned out. If Jacobs can build upon his first game, he could be in for a huge fantasy football season.
Josh Jacobs Fantasy Outlook: Matchup vs. Chiefs
There should be little to doubt Jacobs going forward. He showed speed, power, vision and receiving ability in his debut. He should only get better from there. Just imagine how good he’ll be when the Raiders get their two starting offensive guards back. The Kansas City Chiefs did a good job of keeping Leonard Fournette in check during week one. He only compiled 66 rushing yards and didn’t reach the end zone. That being said, he did average 5.1 yards per carry and probably would’ve been more effective if Nick Foles didn’t get injured early in the game.
The Chiefs don’t have much of a pass defense, so Jon Gruden will probably want to air it out quite a bit. However, Jacobs will still get a lot of touches. If Kansas City neutralizes Jacobs on the ground, Oakland will likely try to get him involved in the passing game. It wouldn’t be a surprise if this game turned into an offensive showcase and that could lead to Jacobs getting a lot of points.
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Should You Start or Sit Josh Jacobs in Week 2?
The only worry there would be is that the Raiders get behind early and get away from the run. Jacobs should be solid in the receiving game but only caught one pass in week one. Even though there is some cause for concern, Jacobs is a must-start in week two. ESPN projects him to score 17 points in PPR leagues and that would definitely mean he’s worthy of a start. At this point, Jacobs should be a start until he proves that he shouldn’t be.
Even if Oakland gets behind early, it could be an opportunity to get more involved in the passing game. The way the Raiders moved the ball so easily against a strong Broncos defense could mean that they’re going to have a high powered offense in 2019. This could lead to a lot of opportunities for Jacobs to score easy touchdowns throughout the season. He’s going to be a solid RB1 or RB2 option for the majority of the season.
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