Things looked incredibly bleak at times in Las Vegas, and the team was not having fun. The players complained of the losing culture, and they were giving up. It led to the firing of wunderkind Josh McDaniels, and Antonio Pierce stepped in as interim.
The Raiders fought hard under Pierce, dropping three tough contests before winning three of their last four games, including a defeat of the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs. The team even scored 63 points against the Chargers the week after they couldn’t score a single point against the Vikings.
The offense was anemic at times, and the quarterback position was “Not Great, Bob.” Three guys started games, including rookie Aidan O’Connell, who started ten contests. The defense was among the top half in nearly every category and only allowed 19.5 points a game, the ninth-best in the league.
Pierce was hired as the head coach, and the players rallied around him. This team fought hard to end the season and made some big moves in free agency. They also attacked needs well in the Draft.
Quarterbacks
Aidan O’Connell vs. Gardner Minshew
The Boilermaker
One of their key additions was bringing in journeyman Minshew to compete for the starting QB spot. Let’s look at how the rookie fared first and see if he can hold off “The Mustache.”
O’Connell was drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 Draft and was not intended to be relied on, as the Raiders had Jimmy Garoppolo as their main guy. Jimmy G had a history with McDaniels, but it was ugly from the get-go. Garoppolo was benched after leading the league with nine INTs through only eight weeks, with six starts, and missing two games. He was ultimately released and is currently without a team.
Back to the issue at hand, O’Connell was tossed into the lineup, and it was a roller coaster. He threw four TDs versus the Chargers. Then he threw for 62 yards the following week versus the Chiefs, albeit in a win. He didn’t eclipse 300 yards and ended up having twelve TDs versus seven INTs in ten starts.
O’Connell isn’t going to push the ball downfield and is a statue in the pocket. But he will also keep you in the game, doing what your offense needs him to do. O’Connell doesn’t have a strong arm, and most of his completions came within ten yards. At best, he will be a game manager but limits what the passing offense can do.
The Jockstrap King
As a Minshew Mania supporter, I’ve had it with the hate this man gets. It’s not sexy, but Minshew can get it done when he’s the man. He led the Colts to a 7-6 record in his starts, throwing for 3.305 yards, 15 TDs, and nine INTs. Minshew isn’t a runner, but he’s far more mobile than O’Connell.
Minshew doesn’t have the strongest arm either, but you would be hard-pressed to find a more competitive player at the quarterback position. He’s fiery and passionate, and players rally around players like Minshew. Minshew would fit this offense perfectly with how the players rallied and played under Pierce. He raises the profile of the rest of the players. Minshew doesn’t have the strongest arm but will push the ball downfield.
Projection: Minshew – 14 starts – 63.7% Completion, 3,850 yards, 21 TDs, 9 INTs
Projection: O’Connell – 3 starts – 62.5%, 635 yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs
The Backups
Anthony Brown Jr. and Carter Bradley are the other QBs on the roster. Both of them don’t belong on fantasy rosters.
Running Backs
Zamir White
Josh Jacobs is gone, and White is now the lead running back. In limited action, he rushed for 451 yards on 104 carries, adding in 15 catches for 98 yards as a receiver. It’s not mind-blowing numbers, but he looked better than the numbers suggested.
The offensive line lost Jermaine Eluemunor but it’s a developing unit with a few strong starters and added Jackson Powers-Johnson in the Draft. If Minshew is the starter, defenses will likely need to respect the passing game more. They were able to key in on running backs in 2023.
Back to White: He’s slowly regained his powerful running style since his two torn ACL injuries in college. He’s tough and faster than you would expect. White will run through tackles and has excellent contact balance. Seeing the receptions in 2023 was a good sign, too, and White should finally be ready to be the top Raiders back.
Projection: 235 carries, 1,060 yards, 8 TDs, 35 receptions for 225 yards and 2 TDs
Alexander Mattison
Finally getting his turn to lead the Vikings backfield, Mattison was usurped in the pecking order after not establishing himself as the dominant back. The Raiders pounced on him in free agency, signing the 26-year-old to a one-year deal.
Mattison was less than spectacular last season, as alluded to above. He rushed for 700 yards at a 3.9 YPC clip and didn’t reach the end zone once on the ground. He was better as a pass-catcher, reigning in 30 catches for 192 yards and scoring thrice.
Mattison will give the Raiders a complementary back to White and could fill more of a three-down role. He’s a depth back for your fantasy teams. Even if thrust into a full-time role, I don’t see much upside for fantasy with Mattison.
Projection: 65 carries for 295 yards and a TD, 45 receptions for 310 yards and 4 TDs
The Stable
Ameer Abdullah is still in the league and next in line for the Raiders. Has Abdullah ever been fantasy-relevant? He’s now 31 and gives the team a decent third-down specialist. Dylan Laube is a decent stash, but his upside is limited. He’s a good pass-catching back but isn’t explosive enough as a runner to excel at the next level. Brittain Brown and Sincere McCormick are on the roster, but neither should be on your fantasy roster.
Wide Receivers
Davante Adams
Even with all the uneven quarterback play, Adams was targeted 175 times, caught 103 for 1,144 yards, and scored eight times. He’s the unquestioned top target – even getting targetted more than 20 times twice in the season. Adams could put up WR1 numbers despite turning 32 in December with more consistent QB play.
Having Minshew in control would immensely help his upside, although O’Connell did send 21 targets his way against Indianapolis on New Year’s Eve. And there are few inspiring options in the passing game. Adams is undeniably the man and will likely see 150+ targets, but the Raiders do a shiny new toy in town.
Projection: 95 catches for 1,175 yards and nine TDs
Jakobi Meyers
With few other options, Meyers had a career season in 2023. He caught 71 balls for 807 yards, which nearly matches his average of the previous three seasons combined. But Meyers reached the end zone eight times, all he had in his first four seasons combined.
Meyers is a perfect complementary WR2 and is a sure-handed option opposite Adams. Meyers is intelligent, a natural pass-catcher, and excels at ball tracking. He’s a nearly ideal possession receiver with a knack for moving the chains. Meyers won’t wow you with speed and explosion, but he excels at running the routes asked of him, and QBs love him.
Projection: 65 catches for 775 yards and five TDs
The Corps
Tre Tucker is listed as the starting slot receiver, who caught 19 balls for 331 yards and scored a pair of points as a rookie. He will likely hold the role, but his ceiling won’t be much higher because of the tight ends.
Michael Gallup is interesting if one of the two outside receivers were to miss extended time. He’s got a history of being a solid receiver and missing time with injury. He was overtaken at Dallas by some somewhat inauspicious names. Nothing in the tank may exist, or Gallup could resurrect his fantasy livelihood.
Jalen Guyton, DJ Turner, Kristian Wilkerson—the depth chart goes downhill quickly after Gallup and Guyton. A trio of rookies—Jeff Foreman, Ramel Keyton, and Tulu Griffin—will also be fighting for spots. Beyond Adams and Meyers, I would roster Gallup and possibly Guyton. And then, we are on to the interesting tight end room.
Tight Ends
Brock Bowers
The Raiders missed the QB run and were left with one of the best overall prospects in the draft, although not exactly in a position of immense need. Bowers came to the Raiders with a pedigree of winning and was one of the most dominant players in the position in recent memory.
Bowers has excellent ball skills, with strong but soft hands, and repeatedly made difficult catches look routine. He’s dangerous after the catch and is an exceptional athlete. Bowers isn’t the biggest guy, but he shows high-level effort in blocking. That won’t be where he makes his money.
The Raiders should move him around the formation, exploiting defenses, even splitting him out wide or into the slot. Bowers is a weapon and will likely cap the upside of the slot receiver. He will own the middle of the field and be a safety valve for the Raiders’ QBs. I don’t see Bowers needing time to acclimate to the NFL, and I don’t see a situation where he fails.
Projection: 55 receptions for 655 yards and five TDs
The Bench
This is one of the most talented tight end rooms in the NFL. I was a big believer in Michael Mayer, whom the Raiders took in the second round of the 2023 Draft. Mayer is more of a traditional tight end. He’s a great blocker but can also break out and make tough catches to move the chains. Mayer caught 27 passes for 304 yards and a pair of TDs, but his ceiling with Bowers in front of him is limited.
Harrison Bryant is the TE3 on the roster, and I loved him coming into the NFL. However, he never materialized as a viable pass-catching option for Cleveland and needed time to develop. Bryant is as good a TE3 as any in the league and would be worth a deep stash if things went nuclear and Bryant garnered playing time.
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