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With reportedly impressive OTAs, rookie quarterback Derek Carr could find himself as the starter for the Oakland Raiders over veteran Matt Schaub. Even if his play isn’t pretty, all Schaub has to do to keep his starting job is to keep his interceptions and fumbles to a minimum and put the Raiders in a position to win.
If the 32-year old signal caller struggles at all, however, the fans will boo until second-round pick Carr makes his way onto the field. The Raiders may not have a collection of fantasy football studs, but the team does have several players that could make an impact in your lineup. If Carr becomes the team starter, is he worth picking up on the waiver wire or drafting early?
There will be plenty of veterans that you can add as your backup in your draft, so there is absolutely no need to draft him. Just looking at the schedules for the Raiders, the rookie quarterback is going to have his hands full if he takes over at the end of September or the start of October. If Carr starts after the bye in Week 5, his next three opponents will be the San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns, and all of these teams will be competitive in 2014.
So his initial few starts may be a little rocky, but what type of weapons will have to help him acclimate to the NFL? With James Jones, Greg Little and Rod Streater, Carr will have a series of big safety blankets that he can target. Jones and Little will be looking to prove that it was a mistake for each of their former teams to not bring them back, so there is not a lack of motivation for the Raiders’ receivers.
With the rushing attack, Carr would have Maurice Jones-Drew to target for screens and dump off passes, and Darren McFadden wants to prove his value since he was only re-signed to a one-year deal with Oakland. Jones-Drew has had much more success than McFadden in his career, but each player is capable of big-play ability if they can stay healthy. Keep an eye on the quarterback situation in Oakland, as Carr could add depth to your team in the middle of the year.
Jack Delaney is a fantasy football writer for www.Rantsports.com. You can follow him on Twitter @jackbmore13, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
