Derek Carr

Week 5 at Cleveland

After leaving a Week 1 loss to Cincinnati due to injury, there was some early speculation last week Derek Carr would not be able to suit up against Baltimore. By the end of the day, the Ravens were really wishing Carr had been sidelined. The second-year signal caller out of Fresno State threw for 351 yards and three touchdowns as Oakland pulled out a late 37-33 victory.

Carr may not be able to compile a lot of yardage against Cleveland, as the Browns are holding opponents to 199 passing yards per game and their run defense is the worst in the league (which could mean a heavy dose of Latavius Murray). Nonetheless, the Browns have allowed four touchdown passes, which suggests Carr will be able to put up some numbers. If you are dealing with issues at the quarterback position, there are better streamers out there than Carr, but anyone with Derek in a 2-QB league should show no hesitation in starting him.

Originally, when Oakland selected Derek Carr in the second round of the 2014 draft, the initial plan was to have him learn behind veteran Matt Schaub. It was a curious plan, as Schaub had shown serious signs of decline the year before in Houston. And it did not take long for the Raiders to realize Carr was a much better option. In fact, Carr became the first Oakland quarterback since Rich Gannon in 2002 to start 16 games. While Derek provided a downtrodden franchise with a sense of hope, he did not make a major impact in the fantasy world, throwing for 3,270 yards and 21 touchdowns. Can Carr take the next step in his sophomore season and become a consistent presence on fantasy squads?

2015 Upside
Last season, Oakland's receivers were adequate, but there were no stars among the group. The Raiders recognized the need to give Carr a number one receiver by drafting Alabama's Amari Cooper. If Cooper proves to be the real deal, Carr will have the kind of player who can help him compile higher fantasy numbers. And the Raiders did not stop with Cooper, signing running back Roy Helu, who has established a reputation as one of the best pass catching backs in football. They also added former San Francisco receiver Michael Crabtree as a reclamation project and drafted Miami tight end Clive Walford. Additionally, Rod Streater will be back after missing most of the 2014 season due to injury. Carr will definitely have more to work with than he did as a rookie. The Raiders will probably be playing from behind most of the time, enabling Derek to make the most of the fantasy Happy Hour known as garbage time.

2015 Downside
New Oakland head coach Jack Del Rio (a puzzling hire) and new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave have emphasized the running game in their previous stops. And the Raiders will not be banking on past their prime veterans like Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew in the backfield this season. Roy Helu and Latavius Murray could form a nice duo, ensuring that approach would stay in place. Not only is the emphasis on the run a detriment to Derek's fantasy potential, learning a new offense can be a challenge. While the Raiders added quality center Rodney Hudson in free agency, their offensive line is no better than average. If Cooper turns out to be a disappointment or gets hurt, it is hard to see anyone else on the roster giving Carr the elite target he needs. And there is always the possibility Carr slumps in his second season. Many quarterbacks have looked promising as rookies only to struggle later on.

Bottom Line
In traditional leagues where only one starting quarterback is required, Carr is still not worthy of a roster spot to start the season. He could certainly be added as a streamer at some point if the Raiders show signs of growth. With an improved supporting cast, Carr can now be viewed as a borderline starter in two-quarterback formats.