Another week, another Las Vegas Raiders matchup to mentally prepare for. The season can’t sink much lower, but with only a few games left, even chaos counts as football. As Sin City gears up for the Los Angeles Chargers, here’s your streamlined rundown of injuries, fantasy angles, betting picks and everything else you need. Let’s get to it.
Vibes
Despite another embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Browns last week, spirits are marginally higher heading into this matchup. The shift comes from a bit of addition by subtraction after the dismissal of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. No one expects Greg Olson to be a dramatic upgrade, and this move hardly solves the long list of issues plaguing the Raiders. Still, the offense should look different than it has for most of the season, which at least gives fans something new to evaluate.
On the other side, the Chargers enter the game fresh off their bye and determined to protect their playoff position despite being ravaged by injuries. Los Angeles benefits from easing into its stretch run against a struggling Raiders team, but it cannot afford to slip. A loss here would make their path even tougher, as the Chargers face a brutal four-game slate to close out the season.
Related: New OC Greg Olson Addresses The Raiders’ Offense
Injuries
The Raiders enter the weekend with another relatively clean injury report. Tight end Michael Mayer’s absence limits some personnel flexibility, but it is far from a major setback. Defensive tackle Adam Butler is listed as questionable, though at this stage of the season it may benefit the Raiders to give younger players extended snaps.
The Chargers, meanwhile, will be without rookie running back Omarion Hampton for at least another week, as he has been ruled out. Hampton is the only player on Los Angeles’ active injury report unlikely to suit up, but that figure does not include the 16 players already on injured reserve.
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Fantasy Focus
Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers remain startable based on volume alone, but that is where the confidence in the Raiders’ fantasy options ends. Tre Tucker could function as a flex play in deeper leagues, though his recent production has lagged despite a healthy target share.
Across the field, Justin Herbert remains a reliable QB1 largely because he is carrying the Chargers’ offense on his own. Wide receiver Ladd McConkey is another must-start, while running back Kimani Vidal and tight end Oronde Gadsden offer solid value in deeper formats. For managers streaming a defense this week, the Chargers present an excellent option.
Gambling Corner
My favorite play this week is under 40.5 total points at -108. The under is 7-4 in Raiders games this year and 6-5 for the Chargers. When these teams met earlier this year, the line was set at 46.5, and the total came in comfortably under at just 29. Another bet to like this week is Raiders +9.5 at -112. It is just hard for the Chargers to beat anybody by 10 right now. Finally, Jeanty offers some really strong value to score at +185. He has found the end zone in three of the last four weeks.
Expectations
The only reasonable expectation for Raider Nation this week is that the offense shows some semblance of coherence. Ideally, the days of two-man route concepts are behind them. Beyond that, it would be encouraging to see younger players flash some potential—assuming they’re given the opportunity at all.
Final Prediction: Raiders 17, Chargers 23
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images