Derek Carr, Tyrell Williams' Updated Fantasy Outlook After Antonio Brown Release

The Oakland Raiders announced Saturday they had released Antonio Brown, parting ways with the seven-time Pro Bowler before he ever played a game for the team.

Although momentum quickly began building to make Brown's departure inevitable, that will be of little comfort to any fantasy football owner who drafted Derek Carr as a late-round sleeper on the assumption Brown would be on the field for Oakland in 2019.

To be fair, few owners were likely counting on Carr as their No. 1 quarterback in standard fantasy leagues. Bleacher Report's Matt Camp ranked him as the No. 25 quarterback heading into the regular season, when Brown was still in the picture for the Raiders.

Carr threw for 4,049 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2018. More of the same could be in store in 2019 since rookie fifth-round pick Hunter Renfrow and former Los Angeles Charger Tyrell Williams are now two of the best targets in Oakland's passing game.

At this point, Carr has little value outside of streaming. The right matchup might come along in a given week, but he's unlikely to display the kind of consistency that warrants even a place on your bench in 12-team leagues.

By getting a de facto promotion, Williams becomes a more attractive fantasy option, especially since he's likely to be available in a wide number of leagues. 

Williams will lose some of the freedom that would've been created by Brown, but the impact of that is offset by the increased number of targets the fifth-year pass-catcher should see.

Williams had 41 receptions for 653 yards and five touchdowns with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018, but he's three seasons removed from cracking 1,000 receiving yards.

Although you shouldn't go overboard on Williams just yet, he's creeping into WR2 territory and could slot in as a flex for Week 1. The 27-year-old is a great addition for those looking for some last-minute help ahead of the next two days.

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