Week 16 vs. Denver Broncos
Derek Carr had 236 yards, a touchdown and a pick last week against the Browns. It was a tough matchup and an ugly game, and Carr has been struggling over the later part of the season. At one point leading the league in passing yards this season, Carr has only one 300-plus yard game in his last seven, and he has only one game with multiple touchdowns in that span as well.
This week, Carr faces a Broncos defense that ranks 15th in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks. Expect another ugly, ground-based approach from the Raiders as they fight for a playoff spot amidst a terrible off-the-field season. With his recent struggles, we have him ranked as a low-end QB2 option, outside of streaming territory in most leagues. Sit him.
Week 15 at Cleveland Browns
Derek Carr had a rough day against the Chiefs last week. He threw for 263 yards, a touchdown and a pick in a 48-9 thrashing. It was actually encouraging that Carr didn’t have worse numbers, considering the team struggles in that game. Still, he now has single or zero touchdowns in four straight games and the Las Vegas offense looks like a mess.
This week, things won’t get easier for Carr against a Browns pass rush that has produced the fifth-most sacks in the league. Cleveland ranks 17th in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks, and may struggle to keep the game close with COVID issues throughout the team. Expect a heavy dose of the run game on Saturday, with limited upside for Carr. He should be on the bench, outside of 2QB leagues.
Week 14 at Kansas City Chiefs
Derek Carr had 249 yards passing last week and added 24 yards on the ground, but he failed to find the end zone in a loss to the Washington Football Team. Carr has been up-and-down all season as a fantasy option, but he’s still on pace for 5,189 yards and 24 touchdowns, giving him streaming value in the right matchups.
This week, Carr faces a Chiefs defense that ranks 14th in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks. Carr threw two touchdowns and a pick against the Chiefs in mid-November. Carr has upside in what could be a negative game script for the Raiders, but the Chiefs defense is tightening up lately, making it hard to trust the Las Vegas offense this week. We have Carr ranked as a low-end streaming option and fantasy managers should look elsewhere if possible in 1QB leagues.
Week 13 vs. Washington Football Team
Derek Carr had 373 yards and a touchdown in a shootout victory over the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Carr has had some uneven performances this season, but he still leads the league in passing yardage and has gotten a boost from DeSean Jackson, who has catches of 38 and 56 yards already in just three games.
This week, Carr faces a Washington Football Team defense that ranks dead last in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks. It should be a solid day for Carr, and fantasy managers looking for quarterback streamers shouldn’t hesitate to insert Carr into lineups. We have him ranked just outside our top-10 quarterbacks this week.
Week 12 at Dallas Cowboys
Derek Carr and the rest of the Raiders roster looked in disarray last week in a lopsided loss to the Bengals. Carr ended up with just 215 yards, a touchdown and a pick and the Raiders fell to 5-5 on the season. It’s been a year riddled with off-field problems for the Raiders and Carr is a concerning fantasy option until we see some stability from the team.
This week, Carr has a Thanksgiving Day tilt against a surprisingly stout Cowboys defense that ranks third in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks. Carr hasn’t been consistent enough to warrant serious fantasy consideration, but if you have injury or bye week issues and need some guaranteed points on Thursday, he’s an acceptable streaming option. We have him ranked just outside QB1 territory.
Week 11 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Derek Carr had 261 yards, two touchdowns and an interception last week against the Chiefs. It was a solid, albeit unspectacular outing for a streaming option, which is firmly what Carr is week-to-week. He added 18 yards rushing, which was a nice boost, but don’t expect rushing production from him every game.
This week, Carr faces a Bengals defense that ranks 28th in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks. It’s another nice streaming week for Carr in a good matchup against a team that will likely keep the Raiders throwing the ball. We have him ranked outside starter territory this week, but just close enough to warrant consideration if you need a bye-week replacement for Matthew Stafford.
Week 10 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Derek Carr had a tough loss on Sunday against the Giants, throwing for 296 yards, a touchdown and a pair of interceptions. He’s still third in the league in passing yards, however, and is eighth in yards per attempt. Carr needs to find the end zone a bit more, as 13 touchdown passes and seven interceptions are hurting his overall fantasy value.
Expect Carr to get back on track against the Chiefs this week. Kansas City ranks 27th in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks, and Carr actually put up 20-plus fantasy points against them in both outings last year. We have him ranked as a fringe QB1 option and he’s worth considering as a streaming option or a high-end QB2.
Week 9 at New York Giants
Derek Carr looked pretty good against the Eagles before the bye last week, throwing for 323 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. It was his fifth game over 300 yards passing and he’s thrown for two touchdowns in all but one game. Carr continues to flirt with QB1 numbers and is a viable fill-in starter in nice matchups.
This week, Carr faces a Giants defense that ranks 13th in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks. With some key quarterbacks out this week – for various reasons – Carr is a viable streaming option and should be considered a fringe QB1.
Week 7 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Derek Carr had a nice game against the Broncos last week, delivering a win and throwing for 341 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He pushed the ball downfield several times, including a 48-yard completion to Henry Ruggs, and a 51-yarder to Bryan Edwards. This aggressive approach is a welcome sign from the new interim head coach.
This week, Carr faces an Eagles defense that ranks third in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks. That’s not a good matchup for Carr, but a lot of that may be related to how few close games they’ve faced. If the Eagles can do just enough against the Raiders’ defense to keep the Raiders throwing, Carr could be in line for QB1 numbers. For this heavy bye week, we have him ranked just inside our top ten.
Week 6 at Denver Broncos
Derek Carr was off to a fast start this season, but he’s come back to earth the past two games, including a rough performance against the Bears last week. He threw for just 206 yards and a pick as the Raiders dropped their second straight game. Carr is still completing 63.9% of his passes and could rebound back on track, but losing his coach due to off-the-field discretions probably won’t help.
This week, Carr faces a Broncos defense that ranks 14th in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks. Until he starts producing numbers again, it’s risky to bank on him in fantasy lineups. Sit him for now, and take a wait-and-see approach to this passing game under the new interim head coach.
