Week 1 – Derek Carr at New York Jets
The Raiders finally woke up and realized they had nothing to lose by starting Fresno State rookie Derek Carr right out of the gate. Veteran Matt Schaub has faded faster than a popsicle left outside in Las Vegas in the summer and Carr gives Oakland their best chance to win.
Derek has a mixed bag matchup in his first start. The Jets have a good pass rush but some of the weakest cornerbacks in the league, especially with Dee Milliner expected to be sidelined by an ankle injury. If Oakland’s revamped offensive line can give him time to throw, he could post surprisingly strong numbers. However, a lot of rookies have struggled in their first starts. Fantasy coaches, especially those in dynasty leagues, need to track Carr’s progress. At this point, he should not be started in any format.
When the Raiders acquired quarterback Matt Schaub from the Houston Texans, many felt the move would eventually be another in the long line of Oakland blunders. During the preseason, Schaub looked like a player in fast decline, much as he did during his final year in Houston. Fortunately, the Raiders covered themselves in this case by drafting Derek Carr in the second round of the draft. Carr, whose brother David was the first overall pick in the 2002 draft, starred at Fresno State much like his brother did. In his senior season, Derek threw for 4,866 yards and 48 touchdowns and led the Bulldogs to the Mountain West championship. We are pretty sure Carr won’t be winning any type of title with the Raiders this year, but can he give their rebuilding efforts a shot of credibility?
Fantasy Upside
Unlike Schaub, Carr possesses a potent right arm and upside. Although there is not a franchise player for Carr to work with, the Raiders have a number of functional receivers such as James Jones, Rod Streater, Denarius Moore, and Andre Holmes. In an ideal world, Oakland would rely on their veteran duo at running back, Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden, but the Raiders will be forced to surrender their ball-control approach in many contests. Carr, like many before him in Oakland, will get plenty of reps in garbage time.
Fantasy Downside
It is not easy for anyone to succeed in Oakland. Many quarterbacks have been gobbled up in Raider Nation since the days of Rich Gannon. A suspect offensive line and spooky schedule are major negatives, especially for a young quarterback making his way in the NFL world. The negative elements of the Raiders often cause their players to struggle in the fantasy world, and it would be hard to see Carr racking up big numbers right away. While he is not a statue in the pocket, he is not the kind of player who will help his cause as a runner.
Bottom Line
Many young quarterbacks need seasoning and Carr is no different, but he already appears to be the best option Oakland has. Nevertheless, it will take awhile before he has any fantasy value.
