Derek Carr and the Raiders travel to Tennessee to take on the Titans. Carr, like many we highlight in the Start/Sit features, was drafted in fantasy football as the low QB1/high QB2 matchup-based play. This week is one where you’re going to want to fire up the silver and black signal caller as he takes on a paper tiger opposing defense.
So far on the season, Carr doesn’t have gaudy passing totals, but he has been very efficient when given the opportunity and having a cadre of fantastic receivers highlighted by Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper, that doesn’t hurt either. He certainly has the weaponry to succeed, but does he have the talent? Well, to start with, he’s one of only two quarterbacks this season with over 75 passing attempts and zero interceptions.
He’s very deliberate with his passes and puts his receivers in a position not only to succeed but get major yards after the catch. He throws a ton of short, easy passes that add up to major production with minimal risk. He’s thirty-third in average depth of target, but sixth in yards per game. In short, steady passing and strong production mean that Carr is a good candidate not to blow up your week if you stream him. In fact, he’s a good candidate to produce for you.
On raw stats, the Titans seem to be a terrible matchup for Carr. As they are the third-stingiest defenses for allowing fantasy points to quarterbacks. Digging a bit deeper, however, reveals that they are not actually that stingy when you consider the games themselves. First, the Titans offense spotted the Vikings enough points (two pick-sixes) that the Vikings behind Shaun Hill didn’t have to throw to be successful.In fact, Hill wasn’t in line to start until Teddy Bridgewater went down, so not throwing was likely the game plan from the beginning.
Plus, he’s Shaun Hill. Then there’s the Lion’s game, wherein multiple touchdown passes from Matthew Stafford were called back by questionable penalties. There was also his interception late that stemmed from pressing to try to go on a
In fact, Hill wasn’t in line to start until Teddy Bridgewater went down, so not throwing was likely the game plan from the beginning. Plus, he’s Shaun Hill. Then there’s the Lion’s game, wherein multiple touchdown passes from Matthew Stafford were called back by questionable penalties.
There was also his interception late that stemmed from pressing to try to go on a game winning drive. The Titans need to do much to stop the Lions, they did it to themselves.
Carr is a good quarterback in a good situation, but the aggregate numbers make it look as though they may not be case. He’s a good start if you dive a bit deeper into the reasons behind the numbers this early in the season. If you’re streaming quarterback, he’s one to target.