Raiders at Cardinals
Game Info
Kickoff: Thursday 8/15, 8:00 pm
Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Betting Odds: ARI -3 via Oddsshark
Network: ESPN
Oakland Raiders
Nathan Peterman is No Joke
Underestimate Peterman at your own peril. He looked poised in last week’s game and far from the quarterback we saw tossing pick-sixes in his last regular-season game. When I heard Gruden praising him in camp, I thought to myself, “This guy can’t be serious.” Peterman finished last week with only three incompletions, tossed a touchdown, and even had a highlight-reel run on a 50-yard scamper. It is hard to imagine Peterman challenging Derek Carr for the number one spot but I am certainly ready to see more of him in the preseason. If Gruden truly does have faith in him, maybe Carr will be on a shorter list than anticipated.
Will We See the Rest of the Backfield?
We did not see the much-anticipated debut of Josh Jacobs last week. We also didn’t see Doug Martin get an opportunity to run the ball. These two project to be the Raiders’ top options at running back and it would be beneficial to fantasy owners if we could get a first-hand glimpse before deciding whether to draft them. Jalen Richard was also a noticeable no-show but should be a fixture in this team’s passing game.
Arizona Cardinals
Will Kyler Murray Be Kept In Check?
Murray looked poised enough for his first NFL action. He only had one incompletion and was sacked just once. However, he did not score and only managed 44 yards. Kyler Murray seemed poised but is going to need more than three or four-yard check-downs to compete in this league. Murray translates perfectly into this system, given he ran the same offense in college, but will it translate to the NFL? Murray has plenty of upside on draft day with his rushing floor and the volume of plays the Cardinals expect to run. It would be nice to see more of that in this second game.
Arizona Assault?
All offseason we have heard about the Cardinals’ offense and how high octane it will be. In the first game, the Cardinals only managed 59 plays. Arizona has been rumored to push for 70 plays or more a game this year. We saw a glimpse in week one of how dangerous this offense can be but it wasn’t near what is expected once the regular season hits. There is plenty of fantasy value to be had in this offense. David Johnson has become a highly coveted asset, after having a disappointing year last year. There could be several fantasy-relevant wide receivers, including Hakeem Butler and Andy Isabella.
-Aaron Rader (@Ray_Dur)