What a year it’s been for New England Patriots running back James White. Once a part of the dreaded running back by committee, White is now one of the top running backs in fantasy football. White entered Week Six as the ninth-ranked running back in fantasy football, and only added to his numbers in Week Seven with a combined 92 yards.
White’s production isn’t a fluke, and his strong performances should be here to stay. It’s odd valuing a Patriots running back as a “set and forget” player, much less someone like White who doesn’t bring much in the running game. However, White is so good at what he does and so valuable to the Patriots offense that his numbers will be there, week in and week out.
Fantasy Football: James White a Week In, Week Out Fantasy Football Starter
As previously mentioned, James White is having a remarkable season. Through six games, White has 149 rushing yards and a touchdown to go along with 37 receptions for 323 yards and five combined touchdowns.
These numbers are obviously fantastic, but that only tells a portion of the story. White is clearly outpacing the rest of the Patriots running back in snap percentage. In every game of the season, White has played at least 42% of the offensive snaps. No other running back on the Patriots roster can say this.
Additionally, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady clearly loves James White and his skillset. Following a Week Three loss to the Detroit Lions, Brady said that the Patriots need to find ways to get White more incorporated in the offense. “He’s got to be more involved. Guys who can make plays, they’re the ones who should be involved, and James is certainly one of them.”
Talent doesn’t matter in New England if you can’t get on the same page with Brady. Ask Chad Johnson or Joey Galloway what happens if you don’t share a strong chemistry with Brady. Ever since Brady demanded White see the field more, he’s recorded 83 rushing yards, 198 receiving yards, and a combined three touchdowns.
A Well-Defined Role
Ever since the start of the Brady/Belichick Era, the Patriots have always used a pass-catching running back. Whether it was Kevin Faulk, Danny Woodhead, Shane Vereen, or now James White, New England has always made these types of players a big part of the offense.
The stereotype with Patriots running backs is that you never know what you’re going to get from a week-to-week basis. While there’s some truth to that in terms of the power back, the receiving back position usually fields consistent results.
Not only does the receiving back see consistent volume in New England, but White is arguably the best of the bunch. White’s incredibly gifted out of the backfield and, reception-wise, has had two of the best seasons in Patriots running back history. Obviously, this shows that the Patriots will continue to feed White the ball and that White will produce when called upon.
No Other Competition
The biggest reason Patriots running backs are typically fantasy terrors is because New England loves to rotate their backs. Last year, no Patriot running back saw more than 36% of the offensive snaps. Obviously, it’s hard to make a fantasy impact when you’re seeing the field that infrequently.
However, the Patriots are not rotating their backs like they normally do. Thanks to a series of injuries, New England doesn’t have the backs to rotate. Jeremy Hill tore his ACL in Week One, and Rex Burkhead suffered a neck injury in Week Three. Neither player is coming back this season, so the only true running backs the Patriots have are White and rookie Sony Michel.
Even Michel is no safe bet to last. While he had a fantastic game against the Kansas City Chiefs, he appeared on the injury report with a knee injury. Michel is also rumored to have “bone on bone” condition in his knee, meaning he’s more at risk for a serious knee injury. Should Michel go down, the Patriots will only have White. He’s easily the most reliable running back on the roster.
Last Word on James White
James White is producing like one of the best running backs in football, and you should trust him to continue that production. White is one of the most reliable weapons in the Patriots passing game and an absolute nightmare to defend out of the backfield.
Thanks to injuries around him, White no longer needs to share snaps with a committee. He’s good to see around 50% of snaps on any given week, and he usually finds the ball when he’s on the field.
While trusting a Patriots running back for consistent production in fantasy football may feel wrong, all signs point to it being the correct decision. James White has been one of the best players in fantasy football, and he should continue that production for the rest of the season.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
