Now that we are about halfway through the regular season, it is time to start considering which players are deserving of a Pro Bowl selection. For this series, we will look at the three most deserving candidates for each team. Obviously, some teams will have more or less than three players selected to the Pro Bowl, but for simplicity purposes, we will discuss the top three either way.
TOP MIDSEASON PRO BOWL CANDIDATES: OAKLAND RAIDERS
AMARI COOPER AND MICHAEL CRABTREE
OK, I cheated on this one a little bit by choosing both Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, but these two talented wide receivers have very similar numbers so far this season. Cooper is having a great rookie year, having already amassed 45 receptions for 653 yards and four touchdowns. The former receiver for the Alabama Crimson Tide also has nine catches of 20 plus yards and he is averaging 81.6 receiving yards per game.
Crabtree, in his seventh season, has already tallied 47 catches for 591 yards and he’s found the endzone five times. The former Texas Tech receiver is averaging 73.9 yards per game and he has 11 receptions of 20 plus yards. Both of these talented wideouts are having nice seasons and Cooper just might find himself being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year, if he can hold off St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley.
CHARLES WOODSON
Free safety Charles Woodson is in his 18th season in the NFL and he is tied with Indianapolis Colts strong safety Mike Adams for most interceptions so far this season at five. That is absolutely remarkable. The talented veteran also has 41 tackles (third most on the team) and eight passes defended (tied for most on the Raiders). The former Michigan Wolverine has had a fantastic career, and it is incredible that Woodson can still be this effective in his 18th season in the league.
At 39 years old Woodson is the oldest active safety in the NFL, but even with a hurt shoulder (injury occurred in Week 1) he is still the Raiders best player in the secondary, and certainly one of their leaders on defense. After the second play of the Raiders game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Woodson aggravated that shoulder injury and he couldn’t even lift his right arm. But he continued to play using just his left arm. As long as his shoulder, or at least his threshold for pain, allows Woodson to continue to play at the level he has been, he will certainly have an argument to be named to the Pro Bowl this season.
DEREK CARR
There were multiple players who were deserving of being named in this article, including linebacker Malcom Smith (59 tackles, three sacks and one interception), defensive end Khalil Mack (27 tackles, four sacks, six tackles for a loss) and cornerback D.J Hayden (49 tackles, one sack, and one interception). But I went with quarterback Derek Carr who is having a really nice second season in the NFL
The former Fresno State quarterback is averaging 262 passing yards per game (16th), and he has thrown 19 touchdowns (tied for third) with only four interceptions. His quarterback rating of 104.3 this season is the sixth highest in the NFL this season. The four quarterbacks in the AFC who have performed the best this season are New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (although his team is currently 2-7 and the Raiders are 4-4) and Carr. Oakland has a chance to make the playoffs this season and a big reason why is the play of their quarterback.
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