Richard won't be available for Sunday's game against Washington after the Raiders placed him on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
The team hasn't revealed whether Richard was deactivated due to a positive test of the virus, but given that the running back has been vocal about not accepting the vaccine, he'll be away from the team for at least five days even if he was merely deemed a close contact of an infected person. The pass-catching specialist has handled a small role in the Las Vegas backfield in 2021, most recently playing only nine snaps in the Raiders' 36-33 overtime win over Dallas on Thanksgiving Day. Richard's absence will likely result in a modest bump in work for either or both of Josh Jacobs (ankle) and Kenyan Drake on passing downs.