Every week, it’s becoming more evident that the Oakland Raiders made the right choice at pick No. 24. Through seven weeks, Josh Jacobs has quickly established himself as not only one of the league’s top rookies but one of the best running backs in the NFL.
In six games, Jacobs has totaled 641 yards and four touchdowns as the Raiders’ lead back. According to Pro Football Focus, Jacobs is the league’s highest-graded rookie and the top-ranked running back through seven weeks.
Jacobs is seemingly putting his name further and further into Offensive Rookie of the Year contention with each passing week, but his Week 7 performance against Green Bay Packers was by far his biggest statement yet. Through seven weeks, Jacobs ranks first among all running backs in rushing grade (90.4), and he ranks second in both yards after contact per attempt (3.90) and total missed tackles forced (31).
It is surprising how effective Jacobs has been, even in games that aren’t all that competitive. If Oakland can still in more games in the second half of the season, Jacobs’ numbers should only increase. There will be bigger games on the horizon for Jacobs as he makes his push to win the Rookie of the Year award.
