Rachaad White Fantasy Football Outlook: Can the Bucs Rookie RB Offer Any Immediate Value?
Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: Bucs rookie RB Rachaad White
Who Is Rachaad White?
by Samantha Previte, fantasy football analyst for Action
Rachaad White was the fourth running back selected in the 2022 NFL Draft and the first taken in the third round. The 23-year-old junior college transfer brings solid upside to a favorable landing spot in Tampa Bay and could make a long-term impact in fantasy football.
White’s positives include his stature, athleticism and performance at the collegiate level as well as his versatility. He possesses the requisite build to be a workhorse back at 6-foot and 214 pounds. White performed well at the NFL Combine, recording a swift 4.48-second 40-yard-dash and 38-inch vertical jump — both comparable to Breece Hall’s numbers at the combine.
White is coming off a breakout season at Arizona State in which he recorded 182 attempts for 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns across 11 games. He is also a deft pass-catcher who reeled in 43 catches for 456 yards and a touchdown.
White loses marks for his age and pass-blocking abilities. He began his NCAA career at Nebraska-Kearney as a redshirt freshman and later transferred to Mt. San Antonio College, a junior college located outside of Los Angeles, before ultimately transferring to Arizona State. White also turned 23 in January, which makes him one of the older prospects in this class.
White's pass-blocking has been highlighted as a concern and he will need to refine this technique when making the transition to the NFL level.
Rachaad White Fantasy Football Outlook
by Samantha Previte, fantasy football analyst for Action
Landing Spot Grade: A-
The Buccaneers are one of the better landing spots for fantasy football due to the system — which features a strong coaching staff, quarterback and weapons — and lack of long-term depth in their running back corps.
Entering this draft, the Buccaneers needed to add depth at running back. They ranked bottom-seven in rushing yards per game (98.4), second-to-last in rushing attempts per game (22.6), and dead last in rushing play percentage (33.8 percent).
Leonard Fournette — who re-signed on a three-year, $21 million deal during free agency — will continue to be the focal point of Tampa Bay’s run game. He is coming off a banner season in which he recorded 249 touches for 1,266 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns. That said, Fournette turned 27 this offseason and the depth chart drops off a cliff after him.
The team lost Ronald Jones II during free agency while Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who was the Buccaneers’ third-round selection in 2020, has largely been considered a disappointment for the team and fantasy managers alike. Over two seasons in the NFL, the 25-year-old Vaughn has been a non-factor in the Bucs’ run game, recording 71 total touches for 349 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns.
2022 Fantasy Potential: Minimal In Redraft (For Now)
White can easily capitalize on this shallow depth chart and slide into the No. 2 behind Fournette. But for now, White is a low-cost, late-round insurance policy to pair with Fournette should the veteran back suffer an injury.
Like almost all rookies, White's value is much higher in dynasty/redraft formats with the hope that he can become Fournette's successor in a year or two.
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