Rachaad White or Gus Edwards Start Em' Sit 'Em: Exploring Week 2 fantasy outlook for RBs

Rachaad White and Gus Edwards entered the 2023 NFL season with completely different fantasy football situations. White was an intriguing target in fantasy drafts, as he was expected to serve as a featured running back with little competition for backfield touches.

Edwards was basically irrelevant from a fantasy perspective, projected to serve as nothing more than a handcuff.

While White pretty much served in the role he was expected to in Week 1, Edwards' situation has completely changed. Injuries have presented the opportunity for him to be a starting running back in Week 2.

This makes it fair to wonder which of the two backs is the better fantasy option this week.

Is Rachaad White a good pick in fantasy football Week 2?

Rachaad White

With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers moving on from Leonard Fournette during the 2023 NFL offseason, their backfield was expected to heavily feature Rachaad White.

The versatile back is a true dual-threat, significantly improving his fantasy football projections. The fact that they don't really have any legitimate candidates to challenge him for touches in the immediate future further brightens his outlook.

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Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season went about as expected for White, as he was on the field for a massive 79 percent of the offensive snaps. He also led all Buccaneers with 19 touches, which he turned into 49 yards.

While his output in their game against the Minnesota Vikings was uninspiring, his heavy usage indicates that bigger fantasy football performances are likely to come at some point.

Rachaad White's next chance to get things rolling will come in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears. They ranked as one of the worst overall rushing defenses by many different standards last year.

They also ranked in the bottom-eight receiving yards per game allowed to opposing running backs, one of White's biggest weapons. He has top-20 upside in Week 2 if he continues to dominate the Buccaneers' backfield usage as expected.

Is Gus Edwards a good pick in fantasy football Week 2?

Gus Edwards

The Baltimore Ravens entered the 2023 NFL season fully expecting to feature JK Dobbins heavily out of their backfield. Unfortunately, their plans were ruined when the explosive back suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in their Week 1 game against the Houston Texans.

This opens the door for Gus Edwards to take over as their starting running back,though they could go with a committee approach to the position.

His expected increase in playing time and usage made Gus Edwards one of the most popular waiver wire targets ahead of Week 2 of the 2023 fantasy football season.

Added touches in a high-powered rushing attack with the Ravens give him plenty of upside. His bruising running style also suggests he will likely receive goalline carries, significantly improving his potential to score touchdowns.

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The only major downside to Edwards' fantasy outlook is that he offers little in terms of potential receiving contributions. This is why he will likely share some of the backfield touches with Justice Hill and Melvin Gordon.

It will be interesting to see how the Ravens distribute the workload in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Edwards should be expected to lead the way, but how much he shares the time with their other options will be an important factor to keep an eye on.

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For managers looking to acquire Rachaad White, Gus Edwards, or any other player, make sure to consult the fantasy football trade analyzer first.

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Rachaad White vs Gus Edwards: Who should I start in Week 2?

White vs Edwards in Week 2

According to Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer, Rachaad White makes for a better fantasy football option than Gus Edwards in Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season.

White's receiving upside is one of the main reasons why the Optimizer projects him to have the advantage. While White should be consistently involved in the passing game, Edwards is projected to be blanked as a receiver in Week 2.

Receiving statistics can be extremely valuable for running backs, simultaneously raising their celinings and floors by giving them an additional avenue to carve out offensive production.

This is clearly evident in this specific example. Edwards is actually projected to have a better rushing performance in Week 2, but White's expected receiving volume still makes him the more ideal starter in fantasy lineups.

Another reason to potentially fade Edwards this week is the unclear workload distribution for the Ravens' backs. Just because he's expected to be the starter doesn't necessarily mean he will be heavily featured.

He makes for an excellent bench stash in Week 2, and a potential RB3 in lineups, but it's probably best to take a wait-and-see approach. Rachaad White, on the other hand, can be relied on to at least be heavily involved, so his expected usage gives him much more upside.