DeAndre and Jalen make the team
Another big question heading into the summer was whether or not the Raiders would continue to employ both Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington. The two running backs came into the league together, though with the addition of Doug Martin this offseason, the backfield was all of a sudden too crowded to keep both.
With the emergence of Chris Warren III, and an injury to Washington during the summer, it appeared he would be the odd man out. However, Warren was placed on injured reserve, and when the 53-man roster was formed on Saturday afternoon, both Richard and Washington made the cut.
Marshawn Lynch and Martin will be the two featured backs this season, and Keith Smith is a major upgrade at the fullback position. Richard and Washington can do some great things with the football in their hands, and for the third straight season, they will be counted on to play a role in the Raiders offense.