In the 18th of a 32-part series, we will feature all National Football League teams with a prediction of where each team will finish within their division, key off-season acquisitions and their top fantasy stars. Today we will look at the Las Vegas Raiders.
Key off Season Acquisitions
The Raiders most significant acquisition came at wide receiver as Davante Adams was traded from the Green Bay Packers for a first and second round pick in March. One of the top wide receivers in the NFL today, Adams had 123 catches for 1553 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2021. A year earlier in 2020, he led the NFL in touchdown catches (18) and yards per game (98.1). Over the last five seasons, Adams has been selected to the Pro Bowl each year.
Adams is not the only wide receiver the Raiders acquired in the offseason. On March 17, they also signed Mack Hollins from the Miami Dolphins. Hollins had 14 catches for 223 yards and four touchdowns last year. The Raiders also signed fullback Jakob Johnson from the New England Patriots.
On defense, the Raiders signed four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Chandler Jones to a three-year contract worth $52.5 million. Jones played last season with the Arizona Cardinals. They also acquired cornerback Rock Ya-Sin in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts, and signed defensive tackle Bilal Nichols from the Chicago Bears (two years, $11 million).
Fantasy Stars
The Raiders have three fantasy stars–Adams, kicker Daniel Carlson and tight end Darren Waller. Adams is the fifth ranked wide receiver in fantasy. It should be noted that Adams and Raiders quarterback Derek Carr played together at Fresno State for three years from 2011 to 2013.
Carlson meanwhile is the top kicker in fantasy. Last season he made a NFL-high 40 field goals in 43 attempts, and made 30 of 33 converts. Waller is the fourth ranked tight end. Last year he had 55 catches for 665 yards and two touchdowns.
Prediction
The Raiders significantly improved their offense by acquiring the best wide receiver in the game today. They already had the best kicker, but it may not be enough in the very talented AFC West. Due to the fact the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers are extremely deep, and the Broncos have a strong defense and acquired Russell Wilson at quarterback, the Raiders projected finish is fourth place at this time.
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