What We Saw: Week 16

Oakland Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers

 

The Chargers came out of the gates with a false start on the first play of the game and followed it up with another penalty on the next play, and it was all downhill from there in a 24-17 loss to the Raiders. Derek Carr kept the chains moving and the Chargers off the field, and the Raiders won the time of possession battle 33:24-26:36 in a game that had no turnovers. Some questionable clock-management by Philip Rivers and the Chargers’ coaching staff aided a go-ahead touchdown from the Raiders before the half, and Oakland took the opening drive of the second half for a touchdown that ended with just 6:11 left in the third quarter.

 

Oakland Raiders

 

Quarterback

 

• Derek Carr: 26/30, 291 yards, 1 TD, 3 sacks | 1 carry, 3 yards, 1 TD

 

Derek Carr was a completion machine in this one, throwing only four incompletions and moving the ball at will. His completion percentage was a bit inflated by his propensity to check-down; I counted at least three third downs of ten yards or longer where he threw quick passes that had relatively little chance of converting the first down. His overall fantasy day was also boosted by a 56-yard slant that Hunter Renfrow took to the house. But Carr looked good overall in this one and appears capable of supporting several fantasy options next year if the Raiders decide to stick with him. Carr’s fantasy upside might be a bit limited, however, by his lack of downfield passing.

 

Running Backs

 

• DeAndre Washington: 23 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD | 3 targets, 2 receptions, 21 yards
• Jalen Richard: 5 carries, 11 yards | 4 targets, 4 receptions, 18 yards

 

DeAndre Washington filled in admirably for the injured Josh Jacobs, running hard and contributing in the passing game when called upon. The Raiders came out of the half intent on establishing the run and did so primarily on the back of Washington. He lacks the explosiveness of Jacobs, capping his upside a bit. But this is two games now of excellent volume filling in for Jacobs, and Washington should be a dependable option anytime Jacobs sits out. Jalen Richard would have more fantasy value when the Raiders trail for most of the game; in a game the Raiders took control of from the start, Richard was not a huge factor. He still received nine touches, and his four receptions have some value in deep PPR leagues. But even with Jacobs out, Richard remains a complementary piece in the offense.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

• Hunter Renfrow: 9 targets, 7 receptions, 107 yards, 1 TD
• Tyrell Williams: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 82 yards
• Darren Waller: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 37 yards
• Zay Jones: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 14 yards

 

Hunter Renfrow returned from injury and slotted right in as Carr’s primary receiving option. Renfrow took a slant to the house on the Raiders’ first drive of the game, taking advantage of some poor Chargers defense. The 56-yard touchdown accounted for the bulk of Renfrow’s production, but he was still the most targeted Raiders pass-catcher. His stats were padded a bit by several short targets on third and longs that had little chance of conversion, but those catches count in the end. Renfrow seems to be establishing a connection with Carr and depending on how the offseason shakes out, Renfrow could be a sneaky late-round PPR target in drafts.

Tyrell Williams took advantage of his opportunities, catching all four of his targets. Most of his catches were on slants or posts over the middle, including on his 43-yard reception early on. But with his early-season touchdown role a distant memory, and Waller and Renfrow competing for targets in a run-heavy offense, Williams is no more than a WR4 in fantasy.

Darren Waller just wasn’t needed much in this game, but at least gave fantasy owners a solid floor. He did all he could with his targets, but in a game where the Raiders controlled the clock with 29 rushing attempts, he just wasn’t needed in a high volume role. Waller will continue to be a solid tight end option, especially in games where the Raiders project to be playing from behind.

 

Los Angeles Chargers

 

Quarterback

 

• Philip Rivers: 27/39, 279 yards, 1 sack

 

Philip Rivers primarily checked the ball down to running backs in the first half, and it wasn’t until the second half where he started getting the ball downfield to his receivers. Rivers lacks the arm strength at this point in his career to produce many explosive plays, and without much of a big-play threat, this offense is a slow grind getting the ball in the end zone. There weren’t many wide-open receivers in this one, and Gordon took both of the offenses short touchdowns. Rivers looks near the end of his career, and unless this offense is re-tooled in the offseason, Rivers is unlikely to regain fantasy-relevance outside of a low-upside streaming option.

Running Backs

 

• Melvin Gordon: 9 carries, 15 yards, 2 TD | 7 targets, 6 receptions, 32 yards
• Austin Ekeler: 4 carries, 11 yards | 6 targets, 5 receptions, 58 yards

 

It was an awful day on the ground for the Chargers, with Melvin Gordon converting two short rushing touchdowns to boost his fantasy day. Both Gordon and Austin Ekeler were fed early and often in the passing game, a common trend for this offense, giving them a nice weekly floor in PPR leagues. But the Chargers were stuffed over and over in the running game, and with the Raiders hogging the ball throughout, neither running back stood a chance of producing big rushing totals. Ekeler looked shifty as always, and probably deserved more usage with the running game stalled out, as he is a better receiver than Gordon.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

• Keenan Allen: 10 targets, 5 receptions, 71 yards
• Mike Williams: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 51 yards
• Hunter Henry: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 45 yards

 

Keenan Allen came up just short on a touchdown that would have greatly enhanced his fantasy day, but the 10 targets were an encouraging sign, especially in a game where the Chargers offense was often on the sidelines. Allen may not be the locked-in WR1 he was in the past, but remains a high-floor option every week. Mike Williams made plays when called upon, but was not targeted often with the Chargers checking down frequently to the running backs. Hunter Henry had a drop that was a tough play, but he certainly could have made. Otherwise, he did show separation on a few plays, a much-needed skill in this Chargers offense, and his seven targets were encouraging. If the Chargers defense could have kept the Raiders off the field, there would have been some more opportunities for fantasy production from this receiving corps.

 

–Erik Smith (@ErikSmithQBL on Twitter, truebest on Reddit)