Fantasy Football: Hot Take Predictions for Every AFC West Team

#4 Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders will finish with the worst record in the NFL.

Oakland Raiders Introduce Jon Gruden

The Raiders will be bad this year, I don’t think anyone will disagree with that. This offseason they hired old-time NFL head coach Jon Gruden, whose methods are reportedly still stuck in the 80’s.

His recruitment has been interesting, signing veterans who seem to be nearing the sunset on their careers.

Those players include Jordy Nelson, who was poor last season without Aaron Rodgers, Doug Martin who couldn’t keep Peyton Barber at bay and Derrick Johnson who turns 36 this November.

Derek Carr, the Raiders franchise QB has struggled to impose himself on games like he did in the 2015 season, where he threw 32 TDs.

Carr has struggled with health and accuracy and won’t be too pleased that the Raiders hierarchy released their best RedZone target, Michael Crabtree, this offseason. Their WR corps is now led by Amari Cooper who has yet to break out and reach the heights that many predicted.

Behind him is Seth Roberts, the aforementioned Nelson and trade acquisitions Ryan Switzer and Martavis Bryant. Rumours are still circulating that Bryant may be facing another ban, and if so, this WR corps will be really depleted. One bright spot for the Raiders is Marshawn Lynch.

After taking a year-long sabbatical from the game, Lynch showed he still has gas in the tank despite being on the wrong side of 30. Lynch was fantastic in the second half of 2017 and will hope to continue that form through this season.

On the other side of the ball, in 2017 the Raider ranked dead last in defensive fantasy points. The team hasn’t done a whole lot to improve their D this offseason and this could really pile the pressure on Derek Carr and the offence.

So what did the Raiders do in the draft, when they were sat in a nice position at number 15, with players such as Derwin James, Tremaine Edmunds and Jaire Alexander on the board? They drafted OT Kolton Miller, much to the chagrin of Raiders fans around the world. Hardly a pick that is going to rejuvenate a downtrodden Raiders fan base.

Just to top it off, Raiders longtime Kicker Sebastian Janikowski is now plying his trade in Seattle! How weird will that be, seeing him in blue instead of the black and white we’ve grown so accustomed to? Odd. Anyway, I’m very down on the Raiders this year as you can see. I hope they prove me wrong and outperform their projections, but I can’t see it happening.