Raiders Sleeper Fantasy Prospect Looking Even Better Now

While the arrivals of Head Coach Pete Carroll and Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly drew additional attention to the Raiders and their fantasy prospects, several players still flew under the radar in drafts.

Quarterback Geno Smith could reassert himself as a top-10 quarterback behind a much better offensive line than he played with in his last season with the Seattle Seahawks. Jakobi Meyers saw his stock soar and crash week to week as analysts and fans tried to discern his value to this offense. Amari Cooper's unexpected signing and then subsequent shocking retirement impacted Meyers' outlook greatly, but he's not the only one set to benefit from Cooper's exit.

Dont'e Thornton Jr. reclaims status as fantasy sleeper

In early fantasy drafts, Las Vegas Raiders rookie Dont'e Thornton Jr. garnered a lot of attention due to his elite physical tools and usage throughout training camp and preseason. That trend subsided quite a bit as the positivity around the team started to fade overall. His stock hit a valley when it was announced that Amari Cooper was joining the team as a free agent.

However, with Cooper gone now, Thornton Jr. could rise as high as WR2 on the depth chart behind Jakobi Meyers. In an expectedly improved Raiders offense, he could become a viable fantasy player in Year 1. Yahoo Sports' Justin Boone thinks that he's at least worth drafting and stashing:

"It appears as though the Raiders got a steal in the fourth round this year with Thornton, who posted a 4.3-second 40-yard dash and a 100th percentile speed score at 6'5" and 205 pounds."

Boone believes that Thornton Jr. will play a significant role for this team as a rookie:

"It’s also not surprising that he seemingly earned a starting job immediately when he arrived in Las Vegas and began making plays in the preseason. Amari Cooper's retirement only helps Thornton's case.

With Chip Kelly’s uptempo scheme and desire to push the ball downfield, Thornton could make noise right away as a big-play threat against defenses gearing up to stop Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty."

Ultimately, Cooper's arrival shouldn't have had much of an effect on Thornton Jr.'s prospects. Now, though, the runway has been completely cleared for him to have a strong season as Las Vegas' WR2. He could prove that in Week 1 against the New England Patriots, especially with Christian Gonzales out.