RADIO
The Oakland Raiders come into this season as one of the favorites to challenge the Patriots in the AFC, and according to David Purdum of ESPN, the Raiders have received the most Super Bowl bets at some Las Vegas sportsbooks. Their odds have gone from 20-1 to 6-1, at some casinos.
They finished last season second in the AFC West with a record of 12-4 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2002. This year, with the addition of Beast Mode and a guaranteed contract for their new franchise quarterback, expectations are high for the silver and black.
While the team's impending move away from Oakland may leave fans bitter and disappointed, fantasy owners should be more than happy to take part in the team's success this year.
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Oakland Raiders 2017 Outlook
Offseason Moves
Notables Acquisitions: WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson, TE Jared Cook, OT Marshall Newhouse
Notable Losses: RB Latavius Murray, LB Malcom Smith, DB DJ Hayden, DB Nate Allen
Quarterback
Derek Carr became the NFL’s highest played player in the off season, as he signed a five-year $125 million dollar extension. Carr ended last season early after an injury in Week 16 to the Colts, which ultimately lead to a first round playoff loss the Texans. Carr finished last season with 3,937 Yards, 28 TD, 6 INT, and a 96.7 Passer Rating and he looks to build on that this season. The Raiders added a few new offensive weapons, which will further expand the potential for their offense. Some of Carr’s success last year can be attributed to the stellar offensive line. The Raiders only gave up 18 sacks last season, which was fewest in the NFL, and continuing that will lead to another successful season for Carr and the Raiders. Carr currently has a 74.2 ADP in a 12 Team, PPR league. Many people think he is due for a bit of regression this year, and if he continues to slide in ADP, he could be a great steal in later rounds. The Raiders finished last season with 29 passing touchdowns, and that should be equaled or exceeded this season.
Running Back
The Raiders’ notable off season move was signed retired running back Marshawn Lynch, who had been out of the NFL for just one season. Now playing for his home town team, Lynch is returning after one of his more disappointing season, which was filled with injuries. 2015 was his last season, where he played only 7 games, and ran for 417 yards with 3 touchdowns. Vastly disappointing numbers for a player who put up four straight season with 11 or more touchdowns prior to that. The big question for the Raiders and many others around the league is if Lynch can return to his former self. He has been out of the game for a year, but he also hasn’t been taking hits. By most accounts, he is a risky draft pick, due to the uncertainty of his potential workload.
Last season the Raiders had a three back system, where they had no back over 800 yards, but all three were above 450 yards. With the departure of the starting back Latavius Murray, who went to the Vikings, the backups remained with the team, and their roles are also largely undefined as of now, but there is plenty of production to be had. The Raiders had the sixth highest rushing yards per game last season, due in large part to one of the best offensive lines in the league.
Wide Receiver
Last season the Raiders had two 1,000 yard receivers, and that looks like what they’ll be in for this year. Amari Cooper, and Michael Crabtree are the dynamic one-two punch of the Raiders’ passing game, that lead them to their first playoff berth in over ten years. Cooper was a slight disappointment for some fantasy owners as he ended the season with only five touchdowns. One of their strengths as a team, comes from the deep ball, as they had 31 combined receptions of 20+ yards. One of the wild cards in the Raiders’ passing game is Seth Roberts. Over the past two seasons, the Raiders are 9-0 when Roberts has a touchdown. The number three receiver on the depth chart has become a favorite target for Derek Carr, as he had 21 red zone targets last season.
The Raiders’ signed Cordarrelle Patterson in the offseason, who will mainly be used in the return game, but has been known to break off a catch a deep ball for a touchdown in the passing game. Cooper and Crabtree both have solid consistency, with plenty of upside, especially Cooper, and should be considered for your draft.
Tight End
The big news for the Raiders in terms of tight end, was the off-season signing of Jared Cook. The Raiders didn’t have significant production out of their tight ends last season, as the two main players only combined for 551 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns. The 30-year old Cook comes to the Raiders with 500 receiving yards or more in four of his eight seasons. Tight end hasn’t been a major source of offensive production for the Raiders for multiple years now, but Cook brings consistency and veteran leadership to help remedy that situation.
Kicker
Sebastian Janikowski aka The Polish Cannon has been a staple of the Raiders special teams since 2000. He has the power to kick if from 50+ yards, and hit on 37 of his 39 extra points last season. Considering the offensive potential the Raiders have, Janikowski is currently the seventh-rated kicker in ADP.
Defense/Special Teams
The Raiders have a bit of a mystery when it comes to defense, as some of the stats don’t line up. The Oakland defense allowed the seventh-most total yards last year, which was good for 375 yards per game. But they also had 16 interceptions, which was only two shy of the league lead, and they forced the second most fumbles in the league. What seemed to be the trend was that they would allow a ton of yards, and get bailed out by a few big plays from their defense. That is no consistent formula for success. There is no denying that this is one of the weak links of the team, and playing in a tough division, they might not be a sure thing in fantasy. Leave them as a backup unit on draft day.
