Oakland Raiders' Biggest Preseason Surprises so Far

We previously discussed some of the Oakland Raiders' biggest disappointments, but who stood out most of the unexpected?

Wide receiver Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack’s transitions to defensive end obviously provide sources of excitement, but let’s dig a little deeper.

The Raiders have several players who made strides once the competition reached a new level outside of their own teammates.

The fierce competition instilled by the coaching staff helped push inconspicuous players to the forefront with half of the preseason in the books.

A journeyman veteran, a pair of rookies and two players buried on the Raiders roster should’ve caught your eye over past two weeks.

Who are the unheralded standouts? Maybe you recognized them from their spectacular play on the field, and if you haven’t, statistics provide the proof that should open your eyes.

ILB, Ben Heeney

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Ben Heeney records a sack.

The most obvious of the choices comes with a huge following.

Rookie inside linebacker Ben Heeney gives life to the most overused statement: “He plays with his hair on fire.”

Heeney plays like a firefighter racing to put a fire out on the field. He does it with speed and fine execution when he wraps up a ball-carrier. The former Kansas middle linebacker already makes Raider Nation question whether Curtis Lofton should start beyond the upcoming season.

Lofton established himself as a tackling machine for seven seasons in the league. Heeney's first two performances forced folks with short-term memory to forget the veteran’s body of work.

It’s the preseason, and Heeney works with the second unit. But 11 tackles and one crushing hit on Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback Taylor Heinicke (seen here via Austin Fletcher on Twitter) deserve recognition.

Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. must get Heeney on the field this season, possibly in more 3-4 scheme alignments alongside Lofton.

RG, J’Marcus Webb

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No. 76 J'Marcus Webb

Skepticism surrounding the idea of starting a below-average tackle who didn’t start a game since 2013 seems logical.

Thus far, offensive lineman J’Marcus Webb surpassed expectations to fulfill a critical role on the right side of the offensive line as a starter.

One of two things occurred.

Webb played out of position for five seasons in his career, or offensive line coach Mike Tice worked his magic in literally four months to ease the transition.

Tice’s former player, dating back to three seasons (2010-12) with the Chicago Bears, outplayed Gabe Jackson on the left side of the line protection based on Pro Football Focus ratings.

Webb’s exceptional play relieves some of the worries concerning the right side of the offensive line that inspired the Raiders to draft a rookie guard in the fourth round.

G, Jon Feliciano

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No. 68 Jon Feliciano

Speaking of that rookie guard drafted in the fourth round, who would’ve thought Jon Feliciano would rank as the best performing guard on the roster?

The most puzzling Raiders' draft pick peaks as the top-ranked guard on the team by PFF ratings. Apparently, he’s mauling defensive linemen at the point of attack in the trenches with an outstanding 3.8 grade in run blocking, which ranks as second-best in the entire league for the preseason.

Even hopes of optimism didn’t see that type of performance coming from the Miami guard. He entered the league as a big body capable of pulling as a somewhat athletic, but still raw, guard.

Don’t underestimate Tice’s teachings, but give the player credit for absorbing the wealth of knowledge available and applying it to his field performance in a short time span.

The guard position projected as the weakest point on the Raiders roster heading into the upcoming season. That perception might change pending the sustained success from Webb in the starting unit and Feliciano in the second unit.

WR, Seth Roberts

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No. 10 Seth Roberts

Raider Nation talked about wide receivers Brice Butler, Kenbrell Thompkins and Josh Harper battling for the No. 5 and No. 6 spots on the depth chart.

Out of nowhere, or from the bottom of the roster, comes wide receiver Seth Roberts. He’s impressed the coaching staff, minus a deep pass from quarterback Derek Carr that hit him on the hands but fell incomplete.

The coaching staff provided Roberts with first-team reps in three-receiver sets while Rod Streater recovered from an illness.

Roberts ranks second among the Raiders wide receivers in receptions (five) and receiving yards (81) through two games.

Most teams keep six wide receivers active. The former undrafted free agent makes a valid argument to hold onto an active roster spot behind Butler as the No. 6 receiver. 

Thompkins stands as Roberts' primary competition for the No. 6 slot. They cancel each other out as below-average blockers.

Many naysayers nitpick Roberts' dropped pass, but Thompkins made two catches that referees ruled incomplete via out of bounds, which raises questions about his field awareness.

Right now, Thompkins stands on the outside looking in at Roberts. Thompkins holds the experience factor, but Roberts holds the production factor.

When decision time comes, lean on production because experience in itself doesn’t score points. Roberts is in, and Thompkins is out.

DE, Shelby Harris

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No. 75 Shelby Harris after he sacks quarterback Nick Foles

Defensive end Shelby Harris makes the list as a low-key surprise through two games. He benefited from Mack’s presence on the defensive line in the first game against the St. Louis Rams, coming up with a sack on a stunt as a defensive tackle.

As a seventh-round pick, Harris remained tucked in the back of the roster in 2014. He recorded one tackle in the previous season, but his preseason play sparks some intrigue.

The Raiders continue to search for a second player capable of providing pressure on the quarterback. Harris flashed in that aspect thus far. According to Pro Football Focus, he accounted for two quarterback hurries to go along with the sack.

Harris potentially provides some depth for the defensive line and is capable of applying pressure from the outside as well as the inside. 

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All statistics are provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted.

In-game play-by-play is provided by NFL.com.