Which Las Vegas Raiders should you start or sit in fantasy football this week as they take on the Miami Dolphins? Let’s take a closer look!
Quarterback
Derek Carr is entering Week 3 as the eighth-highest scoring quarterback in fantasy. Last week, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Carr scored 24.1 points. Despite the Dolphins getting blown out last week, their defense only allowed 16.4 points to Josh Allen. His numbers might calm down if the run game improves this week. But if it continues to struggle, Carr will have to throw a lot, and the main worry, if that’s the case, is the Dolphins secondary led by Xavien Howard. However, Carr has played well against good defenses, so he should still be worth starting this week.Â
Running Backs
Josh Jacobs is listed as doubtful to play. Kenyan Drake should still lead the running backs in touches. Drake has scored at least 10 points in both games so far in PPR leagues. He hasn’t been able to get it going rushing the ball but has still been a bit reliable in the passing game. The main worry is seeing if Peyton Barber cuts into his carries any deeper. If you don’t have wide receiver depth in your league, you can consider Drake a low-end flex option. The Dolphins also allowed 32.5 points to running backs last week; this is good for Drake’s scoring potential.
Wide Receivers
Henry Ruggs III finished as the ninth-highest scoring receiver last week, scoring 22.5 points in Pittsburgh. That said, you should still be very cautious starting anyone from the Raiders receiving corps. This group is difficult to predict when it comes to who will lead them. Bryan Edwards has had two touchdowns called back, and Hunter Renfrow is very consistent but will need to see the end zone more to get higher consideration. We can’t forget that they will be covered by an elite secondary tomorrow. Nevertheless, there is a good chance they will be focused more on Darren Waller.
Speaking of Waller…
Tight Ends
Even though Waller didn’t score as much last week compared to Week 1, he was still amongst the top five in yards and receptions. There is a good chance that Howard will guard Waller, but that should not discourage you. During last year’s game against Miami, ‘83′ was covered by Eric Rowe and finished with 112 yards on five receptions. While his production might not equal that output, there is no reason you shouldn’t start him.
Kicker
Daniel Carlson has looked insanely sharp to start the season and is the highest-scoring kicker through two weeks. He has been reliable to either keep games alive or close them out. While it wouldn’t be too good for the Raiders to have to settle for field goals, it wouldn’t be surprising against Miami’s defense. That should make Carlson a must-start in your league.
Defense/Special Teams
Believe it or not, this defense might be worth starting this week. The Raiders defense is tied 16th in fantasy scoring after the first two weeks. While not great, it is a leap over previous years so far. The Dolphins have allowed the third-most points to defenses and have allowed the fourth-most sacks. With the Raiders’ defensive line being effective despite the lack of blitz plays, that should spell trouble for a Dolphins offensive line that has done a terrible job protecting their quarterback. The Raiders should rack up plenty of sacks and force a turnover or two.
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*Top Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
