Nearly three weeks into training camp, the Las Vegas Raiders are 2-0 in the preseason. That’s a great start to the Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler tenures, and the squad is well into the thick of things as we inch closer to the start of the regular season. McDaniels and Co. have unsurprisingly been reluctant to release much info from camp, but through two games we have seen some standout performances. In particular, there are two running backs doing their best to stand out in a crowded backfield.
Which running backs are standing out at Raiders training camp?
Austin Walter
After the Hall of Fame Game, Austin Walter led the Raiders in yards per carry with an astonishing 6.1. He impressed again this past Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, with another solid number of 4.3 yards per carry. Walter began camp as just another name in the crowded Raiders’ backfield. However, after two great performances, he’s forcing himself up higher on the depth chart.
Why not add another?
Austin Walter adds to the lead in Canton. #JAXvsLV
📺: @ProFootballHOF Game | NBC pic.twitter.com/r9AoIYJHvx
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 5, 2022
As mentioned, the Raiders do have a very crowded running back room, led by the incumbents in Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake. Ameer Abdullah, Zamir White, and Brandon Bolden are some more names Walter will have to beat out as well. Walter has a steep road still ahead of him, but his performance throughout training camp and two preseason games have given him a lot of help. He’ll be a name worth monitoring with cuts now starting to happen.
Ameer Abdullah
Ameer Abdullah has been a familiar name for many NFL fans in recent years, but he finds himself fighting to make the roster in Las Vegas this season. Abdullah has had a good training camp, so he may be able to do just that.
A Nebraska Cornhusker scores the first TD of the NFL year.
Ameer Abdullah believes in establishing the run. pic.twitter.com/0bv5xuVay8
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) August 5, 2022
Abdullah didn’t get any carries during Sunday’s game, which should be looked at as something very encouraging for his roster status. He found himself on the roster bubble at the beginning of camp, but after an impressive showing in the Hall of Fame Game, Abdullah seems to have forced his way up the depth chart. White, Drake, and Butler all got a large load on Sunday, meaning the coaching staff may think they have more left to prove than Abdullah, who didn’t see any action. We’ll see how the running back rotation plays out this Saturday. We’ll know more about where Walter and Abdullah stand afterward.
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*Top Photo: Courtesy of NFL.com