The Oakland Raiders are coming off a successful 2016 season as they finished 12-4 and second in the AFC west. The Raiders were one of the most dominant and explosive teams last season on both sides of the ball. They were on there way to what looked like a solid playoff run when there quarterback Derek Carr broke his leg in week 16. After the loss of Carr the Raiders where one and done in the playoffs. Below is the Oakland Raiders 2016 fantasy football recap.
Oakland Raiders 2016 Fantasy Football Recap
Quarterback
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr took the next step to becoming one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL in 2016. Carr threw for 3,937 yards with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions. He finished as the 10th best quarterback in fantasy with 268 fantasy points. Carr averaged 16 fantasy points per game last season. He was a solid quarterback in fantasy last season and with the upgrades the Raiders made to there offense he could easily finish as a top 10 quarterback in fantasy in 2017. Carr is worth a mid round pick in drafts this season.
Running Back
The Raiders used a running back by committee last season with Latavius Murray handling the majority of the touches. Murray finished the season with 1,052 total yards and 12 touchdowns. He finished the season with 175 fantasy points and was a solid running back two in fantasy. Murray was rather inconsistent last season and was touchdown dependent. He also dealt with several injuries throughout the season. Murray is now with the Minnesota Vikings and is worth a late round draft pick in next seasons drafts.
The other two running backs in the Raiders committee were DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard. Richard was the better of the two totaling 685 yards and three touchdowns. Washington totaled 582 yards and two touchdowns. With the addition of Marshawn Lynch both of these backs are not much more than a handcuff to Lynch but are worth keeping an eye on in deeper league’s.
Wide Receiver
The leading wide receiver for the Raiders was Amari Cooper with 83 receptions for 1,153 yards and five touchdowns. He finished as the 13th ranked receiver with 149 fantasy points. Cooper is a solid wide receiver two but was a little in consistent last season and had seven games of six or fewer fantasy points. He is a solid wide receiver two this season and is worth a late third early fourth round pick in drafts.
The next leading receiver for the Raiders was Michael Crabtree with 89 receptions for 1,003 yards and eight touchdowns. He totaled 150 fantasy points averaging around nine fantasy points per game. He finished as the 12th ranked wide receiver in fantasy last season. Crabtree is a solid wide receiver two and worth a fourth or fifth round pick in next seasons drafts.
Tight End
The leading tight end for the Raiders was Clive Walford. He totaled 33 receptions for 359 yards and only three touchdowns. Walford finished with 53 fantasy points. He finished as the 28th ranked tight end. Even though the tight end position has the least amount of depth fantasy owners should look elsewhere.
Kicker
The Raiders have had one of the better and most consistent kicker in Sebastian Janikowski. Last season he made 29 of 35 field goals and made 37 extra points. He finished the season as the 12th ranked kicker with 134 fantasy points and averaged eight fantasy points per game last season. With the Raiders having a high powered offense Janikowski should be able to produce solid fantasy numbers next season. He is worth a late round draft pick.
Defense
The Oakland Raiders defense is a better NFL defense then a fantasy defense. They finished last season as the 22nd ranked defense with 74 fantasy points. The Raiders had eight games of five fantasy points or fewer. They are a worth keeping an eye on and can be a bye week match up play.
The Oakland Raiders are one of the youngest and most talented teams in the NFL. In recent weeks the Raiders locked down there franchise quarterback Derck Carr to a five year deal. If Carr had not gotten hurt the Raiders could of made a strong playoff run. If the Raiders can stay healthy they could be one of the best teams in the NFL for years to come.
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