Oakland Raiders' Week 9 Stock Report

It’s about that time to buy or sell Oakland Raiders’ player stocks based on Week 8 performances. This week’s report heavily features offensive talent, as the Raiders gashed the New York Jets' top-five defense.

In consecutive weeks, Oakland’s offense rag-dolled two solid pass defenses, compiling a combined 71 points and 615 passing yards over two games.

In Week 8, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave’s well-oiled offensive machine kept rolling and ran over Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie in the process.

Based on the symbolic first throw at Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, the team has developed a strong sense of confidence in its vertical attack.

On Sunday, running back Taiwan Jones flashed exceptional speed and vision on a long reception for a score. To avoid repetition, he’s omitted from this report, but his catch-and-run touchdown deserves honorable recognition.

Whose stock rises? Which player continues to lose traction on his starting job? Let's investigate.

Derek Carr: Stock Up

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Recent reports omitted quarterback Derek Carr due to his steady development, but he’s played lights out in the two previous outings. He’s thrown seven touchdowns and zero interceptions against tough perimeter defenses.

In a postgame press conference, head coach Jack Del Rio told reporters protecting Carr became a focal point against the Jets defense. The offensive line fulfilled that objective.

Nonetheless, Carr made smart decisions with ball placement, completing 63 percent of his passes. He took shots at Revis without recklessness and exploited the matchups necessary to move the chains. 

For the second time in Carr’s career, he threw four touchdown passes—this time without committing any turnovers.

Latavius Murray: Stock Up

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

In Week 8, running back Latavius Murray ran with purpose. His cuts were razor sharp, and he didn’t show hesitation in attacking the gaps up front. He took seven carries between the guard and center for 41 of his 118 rushing yards, per Pro-Football-Reference.com.

The third-year running back recorded his second-highest rushing yards total in his career. He didn’t reach the end zone, but he ran through the league's best run defense, and that deserves ample praise.

There’s not much talk about his banged-up shoulder, as he continues to carry the majority of the load in the backfield. Murray recorded 20 carries, while Jones took just two handoffs against the Jets.

Curtis Lofton: Stock Down

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Inside linebacker Curtis Lofton’s stock continues to fall within Ken Norton’s defensive scheme.

Rookie Neiron Ball took over Lofton’s starting job in Week 5 but suffered a knee injury that will keep him sidelined for multiple games.

You’d think Lofton would receive a significant amount of snaps in Ball's absence, right? Wrong.

The veteran linebacker started the game but only played 18 snaps. Hybrid defensive lineman Benson Mayowa played 27 snaps, and linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong filled in with seven snaps to spread the count. 

Norton may eventually phase Lofton out of the rotation, especially when Ball returns from injury. In the meantime, Mayowa will likely see extended snaps.

Don’t be surprised if Malcolm Smith, Ball and Mayowa end the season as the rotating trio of linebackers patrolling the field.

Andre Holmes: Stock Up

Ben Margot/Associated Press

The Raiders offense finally received a much-needed boost from the slot. The lukewarm feeling on wide receiver Andre Holmes heats up after his two-touchdown performance against the Jets.

Holmes didn’t provide a consistent threat, only recording two receptions, but his contributions became the difference-maker in the Raiders' 34-20 victory. The fifth-year wide receiver flashed in the red zone and against Cromartie in coverage.

If Holmes finds a steady role within the offense similar to 2014, when he led the team in receiving yards, the passing attack could became a top-five passing offense.

Michael Crabtree: Stock Up

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Michael Crabtree led the charge among the wide receivers in terms of consistency and overall production. He set the tone with his persistence in breaking through lazy tackles for the Raiders’ second touchdown against the Jets.

With the spotlight on wide receiver Amari Cooper, Crabtree took advantage of his one-on-one matchup in a stellar 102-yard performance.

The veteran wide receiver plays a solid No. 2 role to Cooper. However, over the past two games, he’s resembled a low-end No. 1 wideout with 13 receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns.

Gabe Jackson: Stock Up

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On Sunday, the Raiders dominated in the trenches—an unexpected outcome with the Jets’ three first-round picks on the defensive line. Oakland provided max protection for Carr and opened lanes for Murray.

According to Pro Football Focus, left guard Gabe Jackson led the charge as a top performer among the maulers up front. He graded 4.0, tied as the fifth-best guard in Week 8.

As a rookie, he showed promise in his pass-blocking techniques, grading 10.5, but struggled as a run-blocker, listing a minus-3.3, per Pro Football Focus. Thus far, he’s exhibited exceptional ability in both categories and ranks fourth-best among NFL guards.

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