As NFL fans gear up for the start of the regular season, which is a little over two weeks away, fantasy football heads are gearing up for their next campaign by taking part in drafts throughout the month of August and in early September.
After months of the offseason, there is a lot of information to sort through ahead of drafts and missing any of it could lead to a pick that sets your team back. There is nothing worse than looking back at a draft and remembering how you took one player over another that ended up having a better season.
When it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders, there are plenty of question marks when it comes to the offense, mostly because of a questionable quarterback situation that will see Gardner Minshew start to begin the year.
That said, Las Vegas has some players who could be primed for big seasons if all goes well. Let’s dive a bit deeper and check out the Raiders’ fantasy studs, sleepers and players to avoid for this coming season.
Note: All fantasy rankings are courtesy of Fantasy Pros.
Raiders fantasy football studs
WR Davante Adams
Despite putrid quarterback play, Adams still managed to finish as WR10 overall in PPR in 2023. Things should be better under center with Gardner Minshew, who was recently named the starter over Aidan O’Connell.
Granted, Minshew isn’t some stud quarterback, but he should be an improvement over Jimmy Garoppolo and the rookie version of O’Connell, which leaves the door open for Adams to have a better fantasy showing than last season.
Raiders D/ST
Las Vegas’ defense really stepped it up after Josh McDaniels was fired and Antonio Pierce took over in 2023. The Raiders finished as D/ST7 overall, but were D/ST1 after Pierce was put in charge. In the eight games under McDaniels, Las Vegas ranked as D/ST24.
Looking ahead to 2024, the Raiders are going to have a full season with Jack Jones manning one of the cornerback spots after he was a revelation over seven games in 2023. The unit has also added Christian Wilkins, who tallied nine sacks.
With Wilkins, Maxx Crosby (14.5 sacks in 2023) and Malcolm Koonce (eight sacks), Las Vegas should improve upon its 46 sacks from last season, and more pressure should lead to more turnovers, also.
Raiders fantasy football sleepers
RB Zamir White
White doesn’t have a ton of experience over two seasons in the NFL, but he did have an impressive run in a small sample size as the team’s starter in 2023. White tallied 397 rushing yards on 84 carries (21 per game) and one touchdown over the final four weeks and added nine catches for 60 yards.
White does have a very good backup behind him in Alexander Mattison, so that’s a concern. However, the third-year back has a chance to be a workhorse back on the ground, which could lead to a big season.
TE Brock Bowers
According to Fantasy Pros, the consensus has Bowers coming off the board in drafts as TE11, which is probably too low. Of course, the hesitation to take him higher is certainly warranted, as there’s no telling what a rookie will do in Year 1 and the Raiders don’t exactly have a great quarterback situation..
However, Bowers is not your average tight end. He can line up outside, in the slot, in-line and out of the backfield, which will give him plenty of opportunities to make an impact with what should be a sizeable role in Year 1.
In terms of the quarterback situation, Bowers is the perfect safety blanket for a quarterback and can make big things happen on short-to-intermediate throws.
In his preseason debut, Bowers showed that versatility and his yards after catch ability. He has all the tools to be an explosive playmaker in Las Vegas’ offense and could very well end up being the No. 2 option in the passing game behind Adams.
WR Tre Tucker
Tucker isn’t going to win you your league by any means, but he could serve as a good late-round, backup flex option in 2024. The former third-round pick has looked good in the preseason while catching passes from Minshew, with the Cincinnati product making multiple big plays.
He’s going to be a boom-or-bust option that relies on the big play, but you could do a lot worse with your late-round picks. Tucker is a solid end-of-bench stash who could very well find his way into your lineup some weeks this year.
Raiders to avoid in fantasy
TE Michael Mayer
The addition of Bowers shouldn’t impact Mayer’s playing time all that much, as the Raiders will utilize a lot of two tight end sets and Bowers can play all over the field.
However, Bowers’ presence on the roster pushes Mayer further down in the pass-catcher pecking order, which will make him a touchdown-dependent option. It’s best to avoid him altogether, unless you want Mayer as a handcuff for Bowers.
QB Gardner Minshew
Minshew might have the best supporting cast he’s ever had, but that’s not enough to roster him as a primary or even backup quarterback without first seeing what he can do in Las Vegas.
Minshew took over as the Indianapolis Colts’ starter for good in Week 6 of last season, and from that point on, he ranked as QB17 overall, leaving him firmly on the outside looking in when it comes to starting options in 12- to 14-team leagues.
Minshew, who may not even keep the job all season long, is only a viable option in two-quarterback leagues, and even then you might be able to do better.
WR Jakobi Meyers
Meyers always finds a way to produce, even in the most lackluster quarterback situations. The North Carolina State product has broken 800 yards in each of the last three seasons and finished as WR24 in 2023.
But some of his best games came with Jimmy Garoppolo under center, and there’s a good chance he regresses from the career-high eight touchdowns he had in 2023. Further, Meyers now has even more competition for targets after the addition of Bowers.
It’s very possible Meyers takes a step back from his low-end WR2 numbers. We’d still grab Meyers late in drafts, but don’t bank on him being anything more than a flex option.
