PROJECTED DEPTH CHART

Players listed in order of fantasy relevance. Recommended round to draft in standard 10 to 12-team leagues with 16 rounds in parentheses.

Quarterback: JaMarcus Russell (16), Andrew Walter, Marques Tuiasosopo

Running Back: Darren McFadden (5), Justin Fargas (8), Michael Bush

Wide Receiver: Javon Walker (11), Ronald Curry (13), Drew Carter

Tight End: Zach Miller (16), John Madsen

Kicker: Sebastian Janikowski

NOTABLE PLAYER MOVES

Additions: WR Javon Walker, WR Drew Carter
Subtractions: QB Josh McCown, RB LaMont Jordan, RB Dominic Rhodes, WR Jerry Porter

After years of frustration, even the Raiderettes are getting ticked off. Photo Credit: U. S. Army

2008 ROOKIES TO WATCH

Round One: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas

TOP POSITION BATTLE

Starting Running Back: Darren McFadden vs. Justin Fargas

2008 SCHEDULE

Top matchups in bold

Sept. 8: Denver
Sept. 14: at Kansas City
Sept. 21: At Buffalo
Sept. 28: San Diego
Oct. 5: BYE
Oct. 12: at New Orleans
Oct. 19: New York Jets
Oct 26: at Baltimore
Nov. 2: Atlanta
Nov. 9: Carolina
Nov. 16: at Miami
Nov. 23: at Denver
Nov. 30: Kansas City
FANTASY PLAYOFF MATCHUPS
Dec. 4: at San Diego
Dec. 14: New England
Dec. 21: Houston
Dec 28: at Tampa Bay

LANDRY'S LOOK: THE OAKLAND RAIDERS

Everyone is talking up Darren McFadden as the guy to watch in Oak-town, and it's hard to argue with that opinion.  However, in typical post-hype fashion, people are overlooking JaMarcus Russell based on a lack of track record as a starter. Sure, JaMarcus came out of the SEC with some bad habits, like a tendency to throw off his back foot when under duress, but that's what offensive coordinators and QB coaches are hired to fix. I think Russell can put up David Garrard-like numbers immediately if he can keep the mistakes down. Remember when Daunte Culpepper rode the pine for a year and then blew the roof off the Metrodome? Yeah, me too.

2008 FANTASY POSITIONAL OUTLOOKS

Quarterback
JaMarcus Russell has all the tools to be a good fantasy quarterback, but he needs the experience, and the Raiders full intend to give him a lot of it this season. Russell will have to endure through struggles and mistakes on the job, and with a less than stellar offensive line and a mediocre group of pass-catchers, he is likely to turn fantasy players off early. Yet, he does have great size and strength and the ability to deliver the ball with great accuracy into tight passing windows, so it wouldn't be a shock to see him have some decent statistical outings later in the year. If you want to take the shot on him, which I would not recommend, only do so in the final rounds. Andrew Walter and Marques Tuiasosopo will compete for the backup job. If pressed into service, neither QB would be worthy of fantasy consideration, but Tuiasosopo might be the better game manager for the offense overall.

The best Raiders RB since Marcus Allen? Photo Credit: ninjapoodles

Running Back
Many teams will apply the "eight-in-the-box" defensive approach against the Raiders, and Justin Fargas may be the best Oakland RB suited to handle that pressure. Fargas battles hard for all his yards and will have to stay highly motivated to prevent rookie Darren McFadden from taking too many of his carries. The two may share a lot of touches, as the Raiders will rely heavily on their running game. Fargas had a career season in a contract year in 2007, but with the arrival of McFadden, he can no longer be considered a solid fantasy starter, even if he does get a decent amount of reps each week. Fargas looks like a good flex player for 2008, but he will not come anywhere near 1,000 rushing yards, and his TD output will be sporadic. McFadden has huge upside and is certain to deliver some amazing performances with his slashing style and big-play abilities. Behind a shaky offensive line, though, and sharing carries, McFadden will often be a boom-or-bust fantasy option. Michael Bush continues to intrigue some fantasy owners, but after he basically "red-shirted" last season, he is now buried on the depth chart to begin the season. Bush should be watched closely during the preseason to see if he has any true potential as a possible free-agent pickup, just in case injuries become an issue here.

Wide Receiver
Javon Walker is a risky reclamation project who is now recovering from a concussion and facial injuries. Those injuries are in addition to his noted recent history of knee injuries that have derailed him from being a top fantasy WR just a few years ago. Walker was a questionable acquisition by the Raiders, and while he still may draw the opponent's top cover corner, which will help the rest of the offense, he shouldn't be expected to post consistently good fantasy numbers. He may not be capable of getting open regularly, even when he can play.

Ronald Curry is a tough wideout who is recovering from foot surgery. He's a decent pick for depth, because he is willing to catch anything in his general area when he does play -- Curry seems to have a propensity for getting banged up.

Drew Carter is a respectable third receiver, but he doesn't make enough plays to be a fantasy factor and would disappear often if needed to start.

Johnnie Lee Higgins has great speed and downfield potential, and could be more of an impact player years from now, so consider him in dynasty leagues.

Tight End
There is really only one TE really worth discussing in Oakland, and that's Zach Miller. He has good hands and a natural knack for finding soft spots in defensive coverage. Miller, however, may have to spend a lot of time helping the offensive line with blocking, and his opportunities near the goal line may be limited due to the team's erratic offense. Zach has promising talent, but he is mostly bye week fodder. His outlook is much more appealing for keeper and dynasty league players.

Kicker
Sebastian Janikowski has more name value than fantasy value. He won't get enough opportunities for field-goals on this up-and-down offense, and he is not reliable from long distance. Janikowski missed 8-of-21 kicks outside of 40 yards in 2007, and there will be much better kickers on the board when you'd pick him, even in large leagues. The only way he should be on your roster is if your league forces you to draft a backup kicker. I hate those leagues!

Defense/Special Teams:
Most of us are still shaking our heads at the fat contract given to defensive tackle Tommy Kelly, and he's not going to improve the Oakland defensive line much. The bigger addition was cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who, along with Nnamdi Asomugha, gives the Raiders one of the best CB duos in the league. Keep this outstanding pairing in mind when making tough calls selecting your starting WRs every week. If one of your guys will face Oakland, he is the one to sit. LBs Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard are relentless and tenacious playmakers, and Oakland does have a good back seven. Higgins also has some considerable potential in the return game. The Raiders don't have a top-level fantasy unit, but they can be a good spot start against the weaker offenses on their schedule.

Offensive Line
The group seems to block well for the run, and responds well to coach Tom Cable. Yet they aren't always consistent and won't hold up nearly as well for Russell and the passing game. Kwame Harris is a newcomer at left tackle, and his play is spotty, so he won't be much of an upgrade. Cornell Green is not fully dependable at left tackle, either. John Wade or Jake Grove, though, can be adequate at center, and Robert Gallery fits nicely at left guard. This unit won’t hurt the team too much in the running game, but they very well could be a detriment in pass protection at key times. 

Scott Engel was a featured member of the ESPN.com Fantasy Insider team from 2004 to 2008. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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