NFL Insider -- 2008 Team Outlook: Todays Team is : Oakland Raiders

Over the next several days we will take a look at the outlook of the 32 NFL Teams. They will be informative for both the fan of football and also some have information for you fantasy football buffs too. Give us your feedback by leaving your comments. Thank you and have a great season... 2008 Team Outlook: Oakland As per Shawn Larabee, Over the last decade, the Raiders have averaged a head coaching change every 2 years. Does this mean that Lane Kiffin will soon be the youngest head coach ever to be fired by his team? The numbers are certainly against him. While his team showed hints of improvement last year, they still finished last in the AFC West for the fourth consecutive season. Their offense, behind a constantly rotating QB carousel and a sieve-like O-line, was putrid; their defense riddled with holes and their special teams nothing short of abysmal. But, in Kiffin's defense, the deck has been stacked against him from the beginning. He inherited a team that was on the verge of complete collapse and nothing short of a full scale overhaul is likely to salvage a winner from the rubble. If last season can be seen as the start of the rebuilding process, then what the Raiders need next is some stability – both from the coaching staff and in terms of personnel. 2008 isn't likely to be the year the Raiders suddenly turn things around, but all the building blocks are there to suggest that Oakland could be a force to be reckoned with a few years from now – provided the fiery Al Davis can leave well enough alone. Oakland boasts a wonder kind head coach, 2007's top draft choice at QB, this year's most hyped collegiate athlete at RB and a marked absence of the disgruntled egos and icons that have been such a plague to the organization over the last half-decade. Warren Sapp is now retired, Jerry Porter's a Jaguar and…while, the sting of the Randy Moss fiasco won't soon leave the Raider Nation, there is a palpable sense of optimism for 2008 with so many new faces and so much young talent now in Oakland. Optimism, at this point, might not translate into a winning record. The offensive line is still one of the worst units in the league and the defense is only marginally improved from last year's squad. But, there are some skill players on the team who can be difference makers and could provide surprise value in upcoming fantasy drafts. QB JaMarcus Russell, OAK (QB - #31) - Deep-league Only Russell didn't exactly set the league on fire in his rookie season. He was roundly criticized by Raiders fans and the media for holding out until mid-season and managed an uninspiring 373 passing yards and a dismal 55.9 passer rating when he finally saw action in 4 of the team's final games. Russell did have a vaguely successful outing to close out the season against San Diego, throwing for 224 yards and a touchdown – though the bulk of his yards came while he was working against the second unit. He also fumbled twice and threw a pick in that game. The young LSU product will look at 2008 as a fresh start. He opens the season as the team's undisputed #1 QB and will be working with some excellent new athletes on offense. Too bad the offensive line is essentially the same unit that finished 22nd in sacks allowed last season. Without protection, Russell's ceiling will be extremely limited. RB Justin Fargas, OAK (RB - #49) - Sleeper (undervalued) If there's a fantasy lesson to be learned from last season, it's to handcuff your running back selections. Just like in 2007, the Raiders are likely to spread the ball around in the backfield and it might be uncertain from week to week who will be the starter. At this early juncture, the best bets seem to be Fargas and McFadden. Fargas has proven he can excel as a starter on this team, as shown by his four 100-yard rushing games last season. His one-cut-and-go style lends itself to Oakland's zone blocking scheme and his five years of NFL experience will probably factor heavily in his favor as he looks to open the season as the starter. Nevertheless, the Raiders would be happy to employ a platoon scenario and any of Darren McFadden, Michael Bush or even LaMont Jordan (if he's still on the roster by then) could severely cut into his playing time. RB Darren McFadden, OAK (RB - #17) - Bust (overvalued) He's their first round draft choice and expectations will be high, but don't be so quick to buy into the hype of his being the next LaDanian Tomlinson or Adrian Peterson. Unlike either Tomlinson or Peterson, McFadden isn't guaranteed to be the number one guy in the backfield. Chances are, he'll share carries with Fargas and might be used more as a receiving threat or decoy while Fargas handles the bulk of the running back duties. McFadden drips with potential, so he is extremely valuable in keeper leagues, but some have suggested that he's not yet NFL-ready. He may have a relatively quiet rookie season. WR Drew Carter, OAK (WR - #70) - Super Sleeper (high risk/potential) Carter is the kind of speedy, downfield threat who could play a valuable (if somewhat limited role) on this Raiders offense. He was a successful situational receiver with Carolina last season and has the chance to put up even better numbers as the sometime beneficiary of Jamarcus Russell's deep passing. His career highlights are minimal (an 8-catch, 144-yard game in '06; a 5-catch, 132-yard outing in '07), but he does have the chance to see more field time this season, playing behind a gimpy Javon Walker. As the third receiver on a team that might be playing a lot of catch-up ball, he could be fairly involved and is worth keeping an eye on. WR Ronald Curry, OAK (WR - #50) - Bye Week Fill-in On several occasions, Curry has shown flashes of greatness, but he's never quite broken through as a star. In 2006, he finished the season strong, averaging 8 catches and 84 yards over his last 4 games. He then opened 2007 with a brilliant 10 catch, 133-yard performance only to sputter out by posting mediocre numbers for the rest of the season. A number 2 receiving option (who could find himself as a number 1, given Walker's health concerns), Curry is probably worth late round fantasy consideration in standard leagues. One thing is certain: having a steady presence at QB this season can only help his performance. WR Javon Walker, OAK (WR - #36) - Gamble (high risk) The Raiders drove a dump truck full of money ($55 million over 6 years) up to Javon Walker's door to lure him away from Denver and now he's got to prove that he's healthy enough to make the investment worthwhile. If his knee holds up, he could be a great fit for this offense and the kind of deep threat Jamarcus Russell wouldn't mind leaning on. Walker has considerable upside, but injury concerns are not the only risk fantasy owners need to consider. Last season the Raiders didn't have a receiver go over 55 catches, 720 yards or 6 TDs, and even Randy Moss was a bust on this team two years ago. Buyer beware. TE Zach Miller, OAK (TE - #17) - Sleeper (undervalued) Miller posted a solid rookie campaign in 2007. Most promising was his seeming chemistry with this year's incumbent starting QB, Jamarcus Russell. In the final game against San Diego, Russell targeted Miller for 8 of his 23 completions and showed a great degree of faith in his rookie teammate. With Oakland's pass-protection woes still largely unaddressed, Miller could be a valuable dump-off option for Russell when he's facing pressure. Though he lacks the speed and athleticism of some of the other top players at his position, Miller's solid hands and route-running ability might allow him to develop into a top ten fantasy tight end, sooner rather than later.