Who Should I Start? Alexander Mattison or Zack Moss

Monday, March 18, 6:02 PM

Former Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison is signing an undisclosed deal with the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, according to a source. Mattison is still only 25 years old and recorded 17 touchdowns in his five seasons in Minnesota after they took him in the third round in the 2019 draft out of Boise State. The 25-year-old was a disappointment in 2023 while taking over the lead-back role from Dalvin Cook, though, which is why Mattison was released this offseason. In 16 games (13 starts) last year, Mattison had a career-high 180 carries for 700 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and no rushing touchdowns while adding 30 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns. Josh Jacobs is no longer in Vegas, but Mattison figures to work in a timeshare with Zamir White in his first year in Sin City in 2024.

Monday, March 11, 11:03 PM

According to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, the Bengals and free-agent running back Zack Moss agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal. Cincinnati released Joe Mixon on Monday night, so it didn't take the team long to fill the void in the backfield. Moss is coming off his best year since being drafted in 2020, showcasing his talents while filling in for the oft-injured Jonathan Taylor. In 14 regular season appearances, he finished with 794 yards off 183 touches to the tune of 4.3 yards per carry. The 26-year-old also caught 27 passes for 192 yards while totaling seven touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving). It's reasonable to assume Moss will get the bulk of the work in Cincinnati. But the Bengals have a few up-and-coming options, notably Chase Brown, who could compete for routine snaps heading into the 2024-25 campaign. That said, Moss should benefit from playing alongside Joe Burrow (wrist), Ja'Marr Chase, and potentially Tee Higgins, assuming he is the No.1 option on the depth chart by the end of training camp.