Peyton

Barber

With Josh Jacobs playing through a rib issue, Barber’s eight touches were his most since September. Although Jacobs is likely nowhere close to 100 percent health, we would not expect Barber to cut too deeply into his Week 18 workload against the Chargers since the Raiders need a victory to reach the postseason.

Barber vultured a goal line score from Josh Jacobs but he wasn’t operating as the primary red zone back. Jacobs had gotten the ball on eight of the team’s nine plays on that drive and was getting a breather. That break just happened to come near the end zone. Barber still holds no fantasy value.

With Kenyan Drake (ankle) done for the season, Peyton Barber slotted in as the team’s No. 2 back behind Josh Jacobs, who had nine carries and five receptions on the day. Barber would likely take over as Vegas’ lead back if Jacobs were to suffer an injury in the season’s final month.

It’s a quiet list for a healthy team.

Barber had a couple of good games with Jon Gruden as the head coach, but he has been a healthy scratch every week under the new regime. That streak will continue in Week 10. Josh Jacobs, Kenyan Drake, and Jalen Richard are Las Vegas’ three active running backs against the Chiefs.

Barber has been kept off the gameday roster with Josh Jacobs healthy despite playing Jacobs’ role with the starter was sidelined. He’ll continue to be a healthy scratch for the foreseeable future. Kenyan Drake will back up Jacobs in this game.

Barber’s healthy-scratch is significant news since it presumably keeps Josh Jacobs locked-in as a touch-based RB2. Jalen Richard and Kenyan Drake are still active behind Jacobs as insurance.

Barber was a full participant throughout the week, suggesting he’s fully recovered from his lingering turf toe injury. He was leaned on without Josh Jacobs in Week 3 but that role could change with interim coach Rich Bisaccia now calling the shots. Barber should be held in 14-team leagues just in case he’s favored over Jacobs by his new coach.

As was Peyton Barber (turf toe), who was a full participant in practice throughout the week. Jacobs has handled 28-of-32 running back carries in Las Vegas’ last two games but a new interim coach, not to mention Barber’s presence, threatens his floor-ceiling combo. He should still be trusted as a usage-based RB2 until coach Rich Bisaccia proves otherwise, which could be as early as Sunday.

Barber has missed basically the last two weeks after playing just one snap in Week 4. With Josh Jacobs back in the lineup, it’s unclear if Barber will really see any meaningful work.