Ranking Oakland Raiders' Best Players so Far This Season
The Oakland Raiders pulled off a 31-30 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in dramatic fashion to start Week 7 action. It's the type of win that could turn the team's season around after four consecutive losses.
Raiders fans celebrated heroes in Thursday's contest, but which players consistently brought their A-games through seven games? Despite Oakland's 3-4 record, some individuals have put together standout performances on a weekly basis.
We'll rank the top 10 players on the Raiders roster based on consistency in production and how well each player has performed relative to others around the league at his position.
We already know the quarterback takes the majority of the credit for wins and the blame for losses, but this ranking won't automatically list the signal-caller in the No. 1 spot. Keep value and production in mind when going through the following assessment, ranging from No. 10 to the best player.
10. WR, Cordarrelle Patterson
1 of 10
The box score won't show you the full story of wideout Cordarrelle Patterson's contributions to this team. He slightly edges tight end Jared Cook as the most significant free-agent addition from the previous offseason.
Patterson spent four years with the Minnesota Vikings, primarily as a wide receiver and kick returner. Offensive coordinator Todd Downing has decided to accentuate the 26-year-old's qualities as a running back—something we haven't seen since his rookie season.
The fifth-year product out of Tennessee has accumulated 70 kick-return yards in two contests, scored rushing touchdowns in two games and caught all six of his pass targets when wideout Michael Crabtree sat out with a chest injury against the Denver Broncos. He's also logged three tackles with the kick-coverage unit.
Patterson has become a reliable asset in various roles. Aside from kick returns, he lacks volume production but serves as a versatile asset who can affect field position as well as the scoreboard in several ways.
9. ILB, Cory James
2 of 10
Before signing NaVorro Bowman on Oct. 16, the Raiders started the season with an inexperienced inside linebacker unit. Cory James started five games at the position during the previous campaign as the battle-tested asset within the group.
Through seven weeks, James added five more starts to his resume. He's excelled in run situations and limited big plays in coverage.
According to Pro Football Focus, opposing quarterbacks have targeted the second-year linebacker 18 times, and he's allowed 13 receptions for 104 yards. He's not a shutdown defender, but the Raiders don't have to worry about long gains across the middle with James in coverage.
The second-year product out of Colorado State has recorded 11 stops in run defense and only missed two tackles in 279 snaps. After missing time during the preseason and sitting out the previous outing, James' durability causes slight concern, which knocks his rank down a spot or two.
8. P, Marquette King
3 of 10
Respect the punter. The coaching staff can do without Marquette King's antics that draw yellow flags, but sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. In Week 4 against the Broncos, he drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for tossing the football at an opposing player after a failed fake punt.
King can come off as juvenile at times, but the Raiders defense benefits from his booming, accurate kicks. He's pinned 14 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard-line, which ranks third among all players at the position. His longest send-off stretched 65 yards downfield.
Oftentimes, you hear cliches about football as a game of inches. When it comes to forcing opponents to drive nearly 75 or more yards downfield, the credit goes to King. On average, Oakland's opponents start drives from their 27-yard-line.
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7. DL, Mario Edwards Jr.
4 of 10
Those nitpicking defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr.'s performances would say he's effective because of the attention Khalil Mack garners as a pass-rusher.
However, the ability to win one-on-one matchups doesn't come so easily to every defensive lineman. Mack hasn't missed a single game, but the Raiders desperately needed interior pressure up the middle to balance the pass rush while Edwards missed 14 regular-season games in the previous season.
While many thought linebacker Bruce Irvin would reach the quarterback at a higher frequency, Edwards has taken the secondary pass-rushing role on the front line. He lists second on the team, with three sacks, which eclipses his rookie year total.
The Raiders still have a few holes to patch in the run defense, but Edwards has recorded 13 stops and only missed one tackle against the ground attack.
6. SS, Karl Joseph
5 of 10
When looking at his rookie tape, safety Karl Joseph flashes as a reliable tackler. Pro Football Focus rated him the second-most efficient in that category in 2016.
This year, the defensive coaching staff added the safety blitz, which resulted in quarterback hurries, fumbles and a sack for Joseph. He possesses the instinct to play closer to the line of scrimmage as an asset to the run defense or as a disguised missile headed toward the pocket.
Overall, Joseph leads the team with 44 tackles. He's also registered six stops within eight yards of the line of scrimmage. The Raiders have a safety who can play downhill and sideline-to-sideline for the foreseeable future.
Yet the coaching staff has yet to unlock Joseph's coverage skills as a deep safety. Reggie Nelson has faltered at the spot, but as a team leader, he's likely cemented at the position until his contract expires at the end of the season, per Spotrac. When it does, Oakland should consider shifting its 2016 first-rounder to center field for coverage duties.
5. CB, T.J. Carrie
6 of 10
For the third consecutive season, the Raiders cornerback group hasn't lived up to expectations. We are close to the midway point of the season, which means there's enough time for improvement. However, it's concerning to see cornerbacks Sean Smith and David Amerson allow a combined 566 yards and five touchdowns through seven games.
T.J. Carrie, who is in a contract year, has performed like a No. 1 cornerback—and not just in a relative sense. The fourth-year defensive back has allowed 28 catches out of 40 targets. He's only surrendered one score in coverage.
Because of injuries and ineffective play, the coaching staff constantly shifts Carrie between the perimeter and the slot for better defensive matchups downfield. Through the changes, he's remained consistent with solid coverage.
General manager Reggie McKenzie should consider re-signing Carrie toward the end of the year with the intent to pair him with Gareon Conley for the 2018 campaign.
4. QB, Derek Carr
7 of 10
The quarterback doesn't rank No. 1 on this list even though we all know this team couldn't push for a playoff spot without Derek Carr.
Though, when viewing Carr's season in a vacuum, he's produced three noteworthy performances in six appearances.
Before Carr's game-winning drive against the Chiefs, he threw three touchdown passes, four interceptions and fell short of 175 yards in his previous three outings. You can assign some blame to Downing for the slump, but the signal-caller bears responsibility for the giveaways.
On a brighter note, Carr went deep to gash the Chiefs secondary to break out of a personal passing rut against an AFC West rival.
Furthermore, his ability to re-establish the AC-DC connection indicates his back feels a lot better after missing a game in Week 5 and consciously avoiding contact with quick passes against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6.
3. OL, Rodney Hudson
8 of 10
As a unit, the Raiders offensive line has surrendered 11 sacks and 34 hurries. Center Rodney Hudson allowed his first quarterback hurry against the Chiefs.
Despite Carr holding on to the ball too long on occasion, the front line deserves criticism for shaky pass protection in comparison to the previous year. Three offensive linemen have accounted for multiple sacks allowed. The running lanes have closed earlier than expected. Nonetheless, Hudson remains consistent minus a few quarterback-center snap snafus.
If the Oakland center falters in pass protection, it would directly affect Carr, who struggles like most quarterbacks under pressure. Opposing defenses have found success pushing through the B-gaps to rattle the Raiders signal-caller, which amounted to more pressure on guards Kelechi Osemele and Gabe Jackson.
The Pro Bowl center stands as a constant barrier protecting the A-gap in the trenches. When looking at the film, you can typically spot Hudson blocking for running backs and wide receivers 10 yards downfield.
2. WR, Michael Crabtree
9 of 10
On Thursday, both Amari Cooper and Crabtree flashed as wideouts who fit the role as a No. 1 receiving option. Nonetheless, the ninth-year veteran has shown consistency in his second season with the team.
Crabtree, along with Jordy Nelson and DeAndre Hopkins, leads the league with six touchdown receptions. In five out of six games, he's scored at least one touchdown or eclipsed 80 receiving yards. In Week 2 against the New York Jets, the 30-year-old pass-catcher logged an end-zone hat trick.
Carr shows trust in his receivers, even during slumps, but he doesn't have to think twice about passes intended for Crabtree, who has dropped only two of his 42 targets.
Cooper's production elevates the passing attack, but the Raiders would struggle to move the chains without Crabtree's reliable hands.
1. EDGE, Khalil Mack
10 of 10
Who else deserves the top spot more than Mack? You can look at the obvious: his team-leading 4.5 sacks. For those digging deeper to find his individual impact, the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year demands a double- or triple-team that still fails on occasion.
Mack leads the defense with 19 stops and only one missed tackle on 167 run snaps. His ability to set the edge helps the defense contain agile ball-carriers who would prefer bouncing outside. He's also accountable for chasing running backs or quarterbacks back toward a crowded middle for easier takedowns.
When opposing offensive-line coaches and coordinators game-plan for the Raiders, there's a special focus on neutralizing the No. 52 to free space. Despite the plot to slow him down, he lists third on the team with 40 tackles.
As a unit, Oakland's defense ranks No. 25 in yards allowed and No. 16 in points surrendered. Mack's influence across a young defensive line could help Ken Norton Jr.'s group rise through the ranks as the season progresses.
Advanced statistics provided by Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted.
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