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Raiders' Fantasy Fallout from Tyler Lockett Signing
Jan 27, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek (left) and coach Pete Carroll at press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders continue to surprise throughout the 2025 NFL season. Despite sitting at just 2-5 at their Week 8 bye, this team has elected to add some veteran talent to its ranks. Adding a 33-year-old wide receiver isn't going to address many of the Raiders' issues so far this year.

So why make the move? This seems like the early domino that could lead to some significant ripple effects across the team and even the entire league. From the surface, it doesn't look like Tyler Lockett will have much impact on the fantasy football landscape, but his signing could have some real effects down the line.

What Tyler Lockett means for fantasy football

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1. Tyler Lockett

No, Tyler Lockett is probably not worth adding, even as a flier. This season, he's caught just 10 total passes for 70 yards in seven games for the Tennessee Titans. The Las Vegas Raiders' offense might be a bit more effective than Lockett's former team's, but not by much.

It's not as if his production fell off a cliff out of nowhere. He was steadily declining in his last few years with the Seattle Seahawks, too. A reunion with Geno Smith and Head Coach Pete Carroll might lead to some key moments for the former legend, but don't expect much out of him as a weekly fantasy player.

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2. Jakobi Meyers

What this deal indicates most is that Jakobi Meyers could be on the move. After signing Lockett, the Raiders now have seven wideouts on the active roster, along with Meyers, Tre Tucker, Jack Bech, Dont'e Thornton Jr., Alex Bachman, and Justin Shorter. It's not as if they were exactly hurting for depth before, or that Lockett presents a significant upgrade over their top three or four pass-catchers.

This move makes a lot more sense if Meyers is headed out the door. It's unlikely they'd be swapping him straight up for another receiver. In that case, adding Lockett could make sense. Meyers' fantasy ceiling could be raised significantly depending on what situation he winds up in.

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3. Tre Tucker

If Meyers is gone, Tyler Lockett won't be the Raiders' new WR1. Unless they're getting a top wideout back in a Jakobi Meyers trade, that role will go to third-year pro Tre Tucker. Tucker has had flashes of brilliance this season, but has been heavily held back by Geno Smith's inconsistency.

Moving to number one on the route distribution and target list could bump him up to a weekly FLEX option or even a low-end WR2, especially if the offense can figure itself out after the bye. The Raiders signing Lockett also suggests that Smith is here to stay at quarterback, at least through the season. He'll have to be a lot better moving forward for anyone from Las Vegas to thrive in fantasy, including WR1 Tre Tucker.


This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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