3 Raiders players who need to break out in Week 3 vs. the Panthers

In Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders will finally play in front of the home crowd, as they welcome the Carolina Panthers to Allegiant Stadium. This game is a must-win for both teams, as the Raiders want to prove the Week 2 win over the Baltimore Ravens was not a fluke, and the Panthers are looking for their first win of the season.

The Panthers have already made a shocking move heading into this game, as they are benching the young Bryce Young for veteran Andy Dalton as starting quarterback. The Las Vegas Raiders defense dominated Lamar Jackson throughout the Week 2 win on the road, and Dalton is a much more stationary quarterback, so this is definitely a more favorable matchup for them in that regard.

However, for the Raiders to continue their winning ways, these three players have to break out in Week 3.

Raiders players who need to break out in Week 3 vs. the Panthers

Zamir White

It is no big secret that the Raiders have struggled to run the ball this season, as evidenced by them averaging less than two yards per carry against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. Going into the year, this position group had all eyes on it with Josh Jacobs leaving for Green Bay, but Zamir White played well last season when Jacobs was out due to injury, and many expected him to step right in and be the featured back in 2024.

White has been ineffective so far, but the Raiders offensive line has also struggled mightily at times to open holes for him. Against a horrid Panthers defense, there is no better opportunity for White to get on track, and if he can show the kind of explosiveness he showed last season, this one could get out of hand in a hurry.

Adam Butler

The Raiders rush defense has been porous this season, which is a bit unexpected when you consider the arrival of Christian Wilkins at defensive tackle. His counterpart on the inside, Adam Butler, has played well in his second season with the team, but he is also playing a lot more, and has to help the Raiders be better in protecting against the run.

Butler has played in 106 of the team's 122 snaps this season, a huge workload for the Raiders sixth-year defensive tackle. His workload has been aided by the loss of Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson, and in Week 3, he has to help the Raiders stop the Panthers two-headed monster at running back in Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders.

Tre Tucker

Brock Bowers and Davante Adams looked like a dynamic duo on Sunday, as they combined for 18 catches, over 200 yards, and a touchdown. However, outside of those two players, Las Vegas got only 12 catches from the rest of the team combined, including four from Jakobi Meyers, three from Zamir White, and two from Tre Tucker and Ameer Abdullah.

This summer, Tucker looked like a breakout candidate for the Raiders, but he has yet to get it going in the Raiders passing attack during the regular season. He has the kind of big-play ability that could help take the lid off the Panthers' defense in Week 3, and my expectation is that they will try and take a big shot to get him going in this one.