It's Time to Stop Sleeping on This Raiders' Fantasy Star

This year is going to be different. Las Vegas brought in Head Coach Pete Carroll and Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly to revamp its attack. They've enlisted the talents of Geno Smith and sixth-overall pick Ashton Jeanty to build a formidable backfield that could strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. They have a host of potential explosive weapons alongside Bowers and Meyers for Smith to find in the passing game.

The Raiders are far from a finished product in Year 1 of the Pete Carroll era. They could range anywhere from a basement dweller once again to a dark-horse playoff team in the 2025 NFL standings. However, they're set to be significantly relevant in the fantasy football world this year.

Geno Smith has top-tier fantasy potential

Quarterback is set to be one of the shallowest positions in the 2025 NFL fantasy football season. There are some truly dominant options in Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow, and a decent crop in the next tier with Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, and Baker Mayfield, but after that, it's anyone's guess who could emerge as a top-seven performer.

The Las Vegas Raiders' Geno Smith might be the next best option, with some potential to climb even higher. Yahoo Sports' Justin Boone is a believer:

"Geno Smith was the QB10 in fantasy points per game in 2022, showcasing a strong fantasy ceiling when things go in his favor. After a down year in 2023 due to offensive line injuries, he rebounded last season, finishing top-five in passing yards with eight top-12 weekly fantasy performances — including six in the first half of the season before Tyler Lockett’s play dropped off. In Las Vegas, he’s reunited with his former coach Pete Carroll and plays in an uptempo Chip Kelly offense. He also gets 12 indoor games and the eighth-easiest slate in my fantasy strength of schedule matrix. Consider Smith a fantasy QB2 with a shot to return low-end QB1 value."

The league might have its deepest crop of QB talent in this era, but with defenses regularly deploying two-high shells to mitigate explosive gains, it's hard to predict which gunslingers can still put up gaudy numbers in this age. Geno Smith's willingness to bomb downfield surrounded by high-level playmakers this season might make him one of the most productive fantasy players at his position this year.

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