Fantasy Football: 5 Oakland Raiders To Target
5 Oakland Raiders To Target In Fantasy Football
The struggle of the Oakland Raiders since 2003 has brought the franchise down to its knees. In that 10-year span, the Raiders have missed the playoffs every year, with their best record being 8-8 in 2010 and 2011. Still, they have one of the biggest and most loyal fan bases in the league. The millions of fans are waiting for a turn around and hope it comes sooner rather than later.
Last year, the Raiders ranked 26th in points scored, showing their lack of offensive weapons. This poor performance is largely based on their lack of a running game where they finished 28th in the league. Compared to teams like the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, the Raiders usually aren't seen as one of the more fantasy-loaded teams in the NFL. With seemingly a new slate of offensive players every year, it is hard for them to develop any players that would be worthy of drafting in your fantasy football league. That being said, there are some sleepers on their squad that could add some fantasy value to your team.
No they don't have an Adrian Peterson, Arian Foster or Calvin Johnson, but, of course, only three teams do. Still there could be a hidden gem on any team like Alfred Morris of the Washington Redskins was last season. So, I am giving you five Raiders to keep your eye on that can help you win your fantasy football league this year.
Matt Flynn
Last year at this time, everyone thought Matt Flynn would be the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. Little did we know how great Russell Wilson would be. This will be Flynn's first real chance to be a full time starting quarterback. The second quarterback on the roster is Terrell Pryor, so there shouldn't be any competition for Flynn at the starting position. There aren't many stats to look at, thanks to the lack of playing time in his career so far, so it's hard to say how effective he will be. Flynn may not be a starting fantasy quarterback, but he should be a viable fill in during your quarterback's bye week.
Darren McFadden
We have seen Darren McFadden be a fantasy star, but we have also seen him be a dud. Last season, the running back was only able to run for 707 yards with a pair of touchdowns in 12 games. He added 42 catches for 258 yards and another touchdown in receiving. This amounts to 113 standard fantasy points, and 155 in a points per reception league. The main problem with McFadden is whether or not he can stay healthy. He shouldn't be a No. 1 running back for you team, but he would be a decent No. 2 back or flex player.
Denarius Moore
Denarius Moore is the Raiders No. 1 receiver. Last season was a breakout year for the 6-foot wide out from the University of Tennessee. He was targeted 115 times. If that's not enough to get a fantasy owner excited, then I don't know what will. With those targets, he caught 51 balls for 741 yards and seven touchdowns. In the Preseason, he and quarterback Matt Flynn will try to establish a comfort level with one another. Any No. 1 receiver on a team should make a big fantasy impact. Moore would be a solid No. 3 receiver or flex player on your fantasy team.
Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski aka, the “Polish Cannon” is one of the best kickers in the NFL. In 2012, he finished with the fifth most field goals made in the league with 31. Six of those being 50-plus yards in length, which for fantasy owners means big points. Usually, you would look to take a kicker off of a highly efficient offensive team that can get in the red zone often and tack on extra points. However, with Janikowski, as long as the Raiders are past the 50-yard line, they are in his field goal range. Janikowski should be one of the first few kickers picked in your draft.
Rod Streater
Wide receiver Rod Streater is the dark horse of the Raiders offense. In his first season in the league, Streater was able to catch 39 balls for 584 yards and tacked on three touchdowns. With a new quarterback throwing to him, Streater will look to improve from his below-average rookie season. A reasonable projection of a good season would be 50 catches for 750 yards and six touchdowns. If Streater can pull that off, he can be a great bye week fill-in at wide receiver.
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