Oakland Raiders: Early 2015 Awards Predictions

With just a few weeks left until training camp, the Oakland Raiders roster has mostly taken shape. There's always the possibility that a major move could be made regarding the roster, and there are some spots still up for grabs. But for the most part, we know who the reserves will be and who the leaders are expected to be.

The Raiders are entering one of the most important years in franchise history. After more than a decade of losing, the team has a very real shot at finally turning things around.

The coaching staff is in place. More importantly, so are the players. This is a young team, but it's also more talented from top to bottom than it has been in a long time.

What's left to determine now is which players will step forward, take on leadership roles and help return the Oakland franchise to relevance.

Here's a look at which players should stand out for Oakland this upcoming season.

Most Important New Addition: Curtis Lofton

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Of all the additions that the Raiders made this offseason, Curtis Lofton will prove to be the most important because of the giant, gaping hole that he fills.

Lofton answers an immediate, clear need on defense. Oakland played without a true middle linebacker for much of last season, and it looked like it. There was a clear lack of production from the middle of the defense, but that will no longer be the case.

Lofton also solves another just as important need, which is leadership. The middle linebacker is supposed to be the quarterback of the defense. This is something that Oakland was missing, and it showed every game.

The Raiders needed a proven, productive leader on defense, and that's what they'll get in Lofton.

With this one signing, the Raiders improved the entire defense. Lofton won’t be a superstar. But for how big of a need Oakland had at linebacker, he’ll prove to be the most important new addition of all.

(You can check out my more detailed write-up of the Lofton signing here.)

12th Man of the Year: Roy Helu Jr.

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The 12th Man of the Year award is similar to the NBA’s Sixth Man: Who is the team’s most important non-starter? This upcoming season, that man will be Roy Helu Jr.

Most of the talk about Oakland’s running backs this offseason has revolved around Latavius Murray and Trent Richardson. That makes sense given that these two will battle it out in training camp for the starting job.

Regardless of who ends up as a starter, Helu is sure to have a prominent role in the offense.

In some games, he might get double-digit touches. In others, he might combine for just a few rushes and receptions. But no matter how many times Helu’s number is called, he’ll consistently turn those opportunities into positive plays.

What Helu will provide is something that the Oakland offense was in desperate need of last season, which is consistent production and efficiency. The team will have the confidence of knowing that if the offense calls on Helu to go get a first down, he’ll go out and pick up a first down.

Helu won't make it onto the highlight reel too often, but that’s not why he was brought in. Instead, he’ll be a reliable source of production on a weekly basis, something that’ll make a huge difference for the offense.

Comeback Player of the Year: Rod Streater

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

The NFL is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league, which is why it’s not all that surprising when a player is mostly forgotten after missing almost an entire season. If you don’t think that’s true, ask Rod Streater.

Just last summer, Streater was Oakland’s No. 1 wide receiver. Fast forward one year, and he’s projected to be the No. 3 receiver at best behind new arrivals Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree.

But Streater is going to surprise the entire league. When he was Oakland’s top receiving option last season, it wasn’t an accident. Streater earned that spot thanks to his good hands, solid route running and breakaway speed.

Once training camp begins, he’ll be a legitimate challenger for the No. 2 spot on the wide receiver depth chart. But wherever he ends up, he’s going to spend all season reminding every defense just how good he really is.

Regardless of what the official depth chart says or whether or not he’s a starter, Streater is going to have a big season. He’ll once again be able to get open often and make plays while the other receivers are drawing most of the attention.

After missing most of last season due to injury, Streater will come out in 2015 and become one of Derek Carr’s favorite targets.

Most Improved Player: Latavius Murray

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The Raiders struggled in a lot of areas in 2015, but the most glaring one was at running back. The starting running back job is up for grabs, and Latavius Murray and Trent Richardson are the early favorites to win the competition.

Not only will Murray win the starting job, but he’ll prove to be one of Oakland’s most important players at any position.

Murray showed toward the end of last season that he has the physical ability to succeed in in the NFL. The remaining question was whether or not he was mentally ready for a more prominent role, something that new head coach Jack Del Rio acknowledged back in February when he noted that Murray needed to work on improving his overall football IQ, via ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson.

This season, Murray will prove that he’s capable of being a well-rounded, every-down running back. This included not only running the ball effectively but also catching passes and blocking on passing downs.

Murray will show the improvement to secure the starting running back job and become an important part of the Oakland offense. By the end of the season, Murray will find himself in the discussion of the top 10-15 running backs in the league.

Defensive MVP: Khalil Mack

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

Khalil Mack had an impressive rookie season. He was excellent against the run, and he was frequently able to get into the backfield to disrupt the quarterback.

The one thing missing from Mack’s performance was sacks (he had just four last season), but that problem will be solved this upcoming season. Mack is more experienced, and he’ll greatly benefit from the tutelage of Jack Del Rio and Ken Norton Jr.

Once Mack incorporates this final element to his game, he's going to be an absolute terror for opposing offenses to deal with. There wasn't any real weakness in his game as a rookie, and he's going to be even better in Year 2.

Mack won’t reach greatness in his second season, but he’ll get very close. He spent much of his rookie season getting very close to making plays, but too often he was just a step short.

In 2015, he’ll make those plays. With this final missing piece added to his game, Mack won’t just be Oakland’s defensive MVP. He’ll challenge for this same honor at the league-wide level.

Offensive MVP: Amari Cooper

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

A lot has been made of how bad Oakland's offense was last season. For those who actually watched Oakland in 2014, it’s clear that the offense really was that bad.

Nothing came easy for the offense, and that had a lot to do with how weak the receiving corps was. This is what made the addition of Amari Cooper in the draft so big, and it’s what is going to make him such an important piece in 2015.

Last season, the Raiders struggled to pick up first downs on a consistent basis. Defenses regularly cheated up toward the line of scrimmage because they had nothing to fear over the top, which made it even tougher to run the ball. There was no one at wide receiver who could be counted on for a big play to swing momentum in the team’s favor.

Cooper will single-handedly change all of that.

In Cooper, the Raiders now have a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. This will have a positive impact on the entire offense. Everyone will be able to play at a higher level thanks to the added threat that Cooper provides.

Cooper himself will also have a major impact individually. A 1,000-yard, 85-reception, 10-touchdown season is very much within reach for the rookie. And if he doesn’t reach all of those goals, he’ll get pretty close.

Cooper alone is going to raise the level of the entire offense while also producing individually, making him the offensive MVP.

Team MVP: Derek Carr

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

A lot of things have to go right for the Raiders this season for the team to finally return to relevance. But ultimately, it's going to come down to the play of Derek Carr. And in 2015, he'll prove that he really is the franchise quarterback that Oakland has spent more than a decade looking for.

Carr will be the MVP because of his play. In only his second year, he'll still experience some growing pains. But now that he has several more weapons than he did last season, he'll get a lot closer to his full potential. An effective running game and a talented group of wide receivers will allow Carr to show how dangerous he can truly be.

He'll also be the MVP because of his leadership. Even as a rookie, Carr's positive attitude was evident every game. That means a lot under normal circumstances, but it's especially important for an organization that's become so used to losing.

He also showed great control of the huddle, and this will only improve as he gains more experience.

The playoffs are likely still a year away for Oakland. But this season will show that the Raiders are really back on the road to success, and Carr is a major reason for that.

In 2015, Oakland will finally start heading in the right direction once again. And it'll be Carr who is leading the way.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats taken from Pro-Football-Reference.com and NFL.com.

Who do you think will be Oakland's stand-out performers this upcoming season? Share your thoughts in the comments section below and on Twitter @BrianJ_Flores.