Thrust into the starting role when Jimmy Garoppolo kept turning
the ball over, O’Connell played about as well as could be expected
of a fourth-round rookie. He played it safe early on, but there
was some undeniable growth as the season wore on. The Purdue product
ended things on a high note, passing for 853 yards and 8 TDs without
an interception over the final four games -- it is worth noting,
that half of those touchdown passes came in a Thursday Night obliteration
of the Los Angeles Chargers in an effort that got their head coach
fired.
As the player new head coach Antonio Pierce turned to when he
took over, O’Connell should be viewed as a slight favorite to
open the season as the starting quarterback. Whether that’s the
case in Week 1, or Week 10 for that matter, is to be determined.
Suffice to say that the team didn’t hand Gardner Minshew a two-year,
$25 million contract because he was unlikely to play. At best,
they hedged their bets on what O’Connell can become. At worst,
they’re waiting for a reason to plug the veteran into the starting
role. Either way, that level of uncertainty renders O’Connell
undraftable in most formats.
Coming into last season, Minshew found himself in a similar role,
backing up a young quarterback -- in that case, it was Indianapolis
Colts QB Anthony Richardson. As it happened, the rookie couldn’t
stay healthy, and Minshew ended up making 13 starts for the Colts.
He had his moments, most notably a four-touchdown effort against
the Cleveland Browns and three TD strikes in a blowout win over
the Pittsburgh Steelers, but for the most part it was old-fashioned
game manager stuff. Still, it was enough to help Indy to a 9-8
record and the doorstep of the playoffs.
It was also enough for the Raiders to pony up the aforementioned
$25 million, believing they have a roster that’s talented
enough to win even with merely competent quarterback play. Minshew
enters camp as QB2, and he’s been in the NFL long enough
now to know what he is, and what he isn’t. As we saw last
year, even as the full-time starter, Minshew is incapable of regularly
producing playable numbers. He’s not worth drafting, even
if he supplants O’Connell as the starter.
Stuck behind Josh Jacobs for most of his first two seasons, White
finally got a chance last December when Jacobs suffered a season-ending
knee injury. Operating as the lead back over the final four games,
White carried the ball 84 times for 397 yards (4.7 YPC) and a
touchdown. Projected over a full season, that would be 357 carries
and 1,687 yards -- clearly, those aren’t realistic numbers, as
Derrick Henry led the NFL in carries at 280, and Christian McCaffrey
led the way in yards (1,459). It’s a reminder that you should
always view fresh legs versus tired opponents with a grain of
salt.
Still, while his four-week pace is unsustainable, White enters
2024 as the lead back in an offense that won’t have a gunslinger
at quarterback, meaning the run game will be leaned on. The Georgia
alum has good power and toughness, and he should be an effective
interior runner. He has small hands, which calls into question
his potential as a receiver, but he has flashed an ability to
make things happen after the catch, so perhaps he’ll surprise
in that department. There is some risk with White, who has a very
limited track record, but his upside makes him worth considering
as a strong RB3.
After four years behind Dalvin Cook, Mattison slid into the RB1
role for the Vikings last year. It didn’t go well. He ran the
ball 180 times for 700 yards (3.9 YPC) but never ran for a touchdown
-- he did score three times as a receiver on 30 receptions, though.
Still just 26, Mattison was signed to spell White and provide
an insurance policy in case the young starter falters. Given Mattison’s
experience in the blocking scheme offensive coordinator Luke Getsy
utilizes, it’s a solid idea. Although he’s probably not worth
drafting outside of deep leagues, you can keep him on your watch
list.
For most receivers, a season in which they posted 103 receptions,
1,144 yards, and 8 TDs would be cause for celebration. Adams isn’t
most receivers. Arguably the NFL’s preeminent route runner,
the veteran was frustrated with his performance and that of the
offense, particularly when Garoppolo was running the show. While
the 1,144 yards did extend Adams’ streak of 1,000-yard campaigns
to four, it was probably his worst all-around effort since 2015
when he was in his second season -- he did post an 83-997-5 line
in 2019, but he played in only 12 games due to injury.
Adams, who will turn 32 in December, is still capable of dominance.
The question is whether O’Connell or Minshew can do their
part to bring the future Hall-of-Famer’s numbers back up,
particularly in the red zone where Adams had scored double-digit
touchdowns each of his previous seven seasons with the exception
of the injury-shortened 2019 campaign mentioned above. A surefire
top-three receiver for the past several years, the combination
of Adams’ age and questions about the quarterback play push
him down to more of a low-end WR1 for this season.
Signed after four years with the Patriots, Meyers stepped in
and filled the No. 2 receiver role admirably for the Raiders,
hauling in 71 passes for 807 yards and a career-high 8 touchdowns
-- those eight scores matched his career total in New England.
There isn’t a lot of flash to Meyers’ game. He doesn’t
scare opposing defenses and isn’t a downfield threat, but
he’s a reliable possession target that finds a way to positively
affect the game.
His arrival effectively ended Hunter
Renfrow’s time in Sin City, and he’s clearly entrenched as
the next option behind Adams even though Tre
Tucker (19-331-2) flashed as a rookie and the team signed
former 1,000-yard receiver Michael
Gallup. Despite that, the selection of Brock Bowers could
depress his value a bit after the tight end position was essentially
an afterthought last year. Consider Meyers a solid WR5 to provide
depth in the later rounds.
A year ago, the tight end class was considered exceptionally
deep. This year, it was Bowers and then everyone else. While you
can’t argue the talent, the decision is a bit of a head scratcher
coming one year after the Raiders spent a second-round pick on
Michael Mayer, who some regarded as the top tight end in a group
that included Sam LaPorta, Dalton Kincaid, Luke Musgrave, and
Tucker Kraft. Sure, the Raiders could choose to utilize a lot
of two-tight end sets with Bowers floating around, but it’s still
a curious use of resources from the Silver and Black.
As a prospect, Bowers checks a lot of boxes. He has good size
(6-foot-3, 243 pounds) and speed, and he filled a hybrid tight
end/receiver role at Georgia, which generates some hope that the
Raiders will find creative ways to get him the football. Ultimately,
it’s all about opportunities for Bowers. If there’s a weakness
in the rookie’s game it’s blocking, and because of that it wouldn’t
be surprising to see the more physical Mayer log more snaps this
year. We’ve seen talented young tight ends struggle to make an
impact *cough* Kyle Pitts *cough* and there’s a chance that’ll
befall Bowers. He’s a fringe TE1 with risk/reward potential.
Mayer had a forgettable debut season from a production standpoint,
finishing with 304 yards on 27 receptions with a pair of touchdowns.
Any hope of a second-year breakout pretty much went up in smoke
when the Raiders spent the 13th overall pick on Bowers, as his
athleticism likely pushes Mayer into more of a blocking-oriented
role. He still retains some name value after a decorated career
at Notre Dame, but Mayer isn’t worth drafting this year.
