TE Darren Waller named most-improved player for Raiders by Pro Football Focus

One of the more puzzling moves of the 2019 offseason was when the Raiders decided to allow tight end Jared Cook leave in free agency without ever offering him a contract extension. Cook was the team’s leading receiver in 2018, catching 68 passes for 896 yards and six touchdowns. He made his first career Pro Bowl that season, but the Raiders still decided to move on.

The biggest explanation for letting Cook leave was Darren Waller, who Jon Gruden fell in love with late in the 2018 season. However, it took a leap of faith by Gruden to rely on Waller to become the team’s starting tight end after just 18 receptions and multiple suspensions in his four previous seasons in the NFL.

That faith by Gruden and the rest of the coaching staff proved to be correct as Waller at a monster season for the Raiders, leading the team in receptions and receiving yards. In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, Waller was named the team’s most improved player in 2019:

(Darren) Waller was the overwhelming bright spot among Oakland’s pass-catching options, rising out of the depths of the Raiders’ roster to catch 90 passes for 1,146 receiving yards. Prior to last season, Waller didn’t even have a 100-yard season to his name in his four-year NFL career. Now, he enters the 2020 season as the fifth-highest graded tight end in the league last season. It’s hard to make a case for anyone else as the team’s most improved player after the kind of bump that Waller saw.

Waller might have made the biggest leap of any player this season as he went from a bottom-of-the-roster player to a Pro Bowl-caliber tight end. But what is most exciting is that we haven’t even seen the ceiling of his game yet.

Waller can still improve significantly as a blocker and he could stand to become a more nuanced route runner. If those two things happen over the next few seasons, Waller has a legitimate chance to be the best tight end in the NFL. Look for the former Georiga Tech receiver turned tight end to be a more well-rounded player in his second full year of starting for the Raiders.

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What condition the position is in: Assessing Raiders need at tight end ahead of free agency

Assessing Raiders need at tight end ahead of free agency

With just a month until free agency opens, we check in on the Raiders wide receiver position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starters: Darren Waller, Foster Moreau

Backups: Derek Carrier

Free agents: Eric Tomlinson

Waller was the story of the Raiders last season. From his inspiring story of overcoming substance abuse that was detailed on HBO’s Hard Knocks to his outstanding season in which he put up the second-most receiving yards (1145) by any tight end in Raiders history.

Moreau was an under the radar pick in the fourth round rookie who showed himself to be more than just a blocking tight end. He had 25 catches for 147 yards and 5 touchdowns before being placed on injured reserve after week 14.

Carrier had 13 catches for 108 yards and a touchdown. That’s not much, but he’s the third option, so not much is expected. He is also proficient as a blocker.

Condition: Strong

Waller is a bonafide star at the tight end position. He would have gone to the Pro Bowl in as an alternate had he not had offseason thumb surgery. The team locked up the 27-year-old midway through the season on a long term deal.

Moreau is an ideal second tight end who has a solid all-around game. He and Waller have the makings of a great one-two punch for the next few years. The Raiders could probably upgrade from Carrier, but it isn’t vital. They could go into next season with this trio and be just fine. Another battle for that third tight end spot in camp should be plenty.

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Raiders TE Darren Waller listed as 71st-best player in 2019

Without a doubt, the redemption story of Darren Waller has to be one of the biggest storylines coming out of the 2019 NFL season. After failing as a wide receiver in Baltimore due to poor play and multiple failed drug tests, the Raiders took a chance on Waller during the 2018 season. He was a part-time player who flashed enough for the Raiders to let Pro Bowl tight end Jared Cook leave in free agency.

After proving that he could be trusted on and off the field, Waller earned the starting tight end role for the Raiders before Week 1. He repaid the team’s faith by catching 90 passes for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns.

In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, the site ranked Waller as the league’s 71st-best player and named him one of the top tight ends in all of the NFL. Take a look at what PFF had to say about Waller and his abilities as a receiver:

One of the biggest surprises of the season, Darren Waller completed his transformation from triple-option wide receiver in college to one of the NFL’s most dynamic receiving tight ends this season. Waller trailed only Travis Kelce in receiving yards at the position and actually caught a higher percentage of targets than the new Super Bowl winner (78.3% to 74.6%). Waller also averaged 6.6 yards after the catch and broke 11 tackles, proving to be a very effective weapon with the ball in his hands.

With a full season of starting experience under his belt, one would assume Waller would be even better next season. If he can continue to improve as a blocker and as a route runner, then there is nothing stopping Waller from becoming one of the league’s best tight ends. Look for a massive 2020 season from the Raiders’ star tight end next year.

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Darren Waller to honor Raiders tight ends coach Frank Smith at Coaching Corps ‘Game Changer’ Awards

One of the most inspiring stories of the 2019 NFL season was that of Raiders tight end Darren Waller. A supremely gifted athlete whose NFL career nearly never happened due to substance abuse problems. He went from an NFL afterthought to putting up elite-level numbers in a few month’s time.

While we talk a lot about the player himself or the offense Jon Gruden runs as being primary factors in such a performance, often times the work of the tight ends coach goes unrecognized. Waller intends on giving Smith the credit he deserves tonight at the 6th annual Coaching Corps Game Changer Awards ceremony.

The event will support Coaching Corps’ mission to provide youth from low-income communities access to caring and well-trained coaches. The Coaching Corps Game Changer Awards features top Bay Area professional athletes celebrating the profound influence of coaches on their lives and the community.

The presenters are all prominent Bay Area athletes whose lives have been shaped by the mentorship and transformative influence of caring coaches.

Eric Paschall, Golden State Warriors forward, will honor Villanova head coach Jay Wright
Arik Armstead, San Francisco 49ers defensive end, will honor his high school coach Joe Cattolico
Stephen Piscotty, Oakland A’s outfielder, will honor his father Michael Piscotty
Ron Wotus, San Francisco Giants coach, will honor his high school coach John McKiernan
Darren Waller, Oakland Raiders tight end, will honor Raiders tight ends coach Frank Smith

Waller has spoken openly about his struggles to kick his drug addictions that plagued him over the first four years of his NFL career which included him being suspended for the entire 2017 season. The world was introduced to his story in this year’s Hard Knocks which was held in Raiders training camp in Napa.

The former sixth-round pick out of Georgia Tech was a highly promising prospect. He nearly squandered several opportunities afforded him by the Baltimore Ravens who drafted him and ultimately found himself on the team’s practice squad.

Late in the 2018 season, Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson convinced Gruden to give Waller a shot, so the team signed him off the Ravens’ practice squad and inserted him into the lineup for the final four games of the season. He impressed with his athleticism, but that was never in question.

What Waller needed was support, stability, and mentorship. He got that from Frank Smith.

Smith was added to Gruden’s staff in 2018 and was credited in part with helping Jared Cook have his best season as a pro at the age of 31.

Cook left in free agency to sign with the Saints, and the Raiders allowed it to happen because they saw big things for Waller. It was the kind of faith Waller probably wasn’t not expecting considering his NFL career arch so far.

Waller rewarded the Raiders’ faith in him with the second-best single-season numbers by a Raiders tight end in franchise history. Waller caught 90 passes for 1145 yards and 3 touchdowns, second only to Chiefs All-Pro Travis Kelce among tight ends.

Along with Waller’s breakout season, the Raiders got surprising contributions from rookie tight end Foster Moreau who had 21 catches for 174 yards and whose 5 touchdowns was second on the team despite missing the final three games to injury. It was Moreau’s talent that had the team let go of veteran tight ends Lee Smith and Luke Willson.

Throw in Derek Carrier, and the Raiders have plenty of versatility at the tight end position to run Gruden’s offense. That group was a highlight for the Raiders last season and Frank Smith deserved a shout out for his work in their emergence. He gets one tonight.

For those hoping to watch the Coaching Corps Game Changer Awards, presented by Levi’s®, they will be airing Tuesday, January 28 at 7:00 p.m. on NBC Sports Bay Area.

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Raiders players the Chargers must game-plan for in Week 16

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists the Oakland Raiders players the Los Angeles Chargers must game-plan for in Week 16.

The Los Angeles Chargers are preparing for their last game played at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

The last time the two teams met was in Week 10. It was a close battle, but ultimately the Raiders came out on top.

With that, there are a few Oakland players that the Chargers must be game-planned for in order to avoid being swept by them.

DE Clelin Ferrell & Maxx Crosby

In their first meeting earlier this season, quarterback Philip Rivers had very little room to breathe, and that’s largely due to the dominance by Ferrell and Crosby who attributed to their five sacks and handful of quarterback hits that night.

Heading into Week 16, the two first-year players have combined for 12 sacks on the season and they’re both eager to bolster up that column on the stat sheet this weekend once more.

With left tackle Russell Okung likely to be a game-time decision, there’s reason to be concerned. If Okung can’t go, Trent Scott or rookie Trey Pipkins will be tasked with protecting quarterback Philip Rivers’ blindside.

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Winners and Losers for Raiders in Week 15 versus Jaguars

Raiders wire takes a look at the Winners and Losers from the terrible loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the last game in Oakland.

Well, that was an awful way to close the coliseum. The Oakland Raiders didn’t show up in the second half allowing the Jacksonville Jaguars to come back from a 13 point halftime deficit to win the game 20-16. This is the Raiders’ fourth loss in a row after a surprising 6-4 start but now has come back to life.

The Raiders offense came out hot with their usual first drive score, but after that was nothing but field goals even when they moved the football. They were completely shut down in the second half with all four possessions leading to no points and kept the Jaguars in the football game. The Raiders are starting to match their point differential to equal out how bad they are.

The defense put up the best performance they could holding the Jaguars to 4.9 yards per play. However, the defense is not good enough to hold any offense under 20 points and allowed three second-half drives that were either field goals or touchdowns. Even with decent individual performances for the defense, the secondary is too beat up to hang with any football team.

Who were the winners and losers for Week 15? Not many winners with this terrible loss closing the Oakland Coliseum.

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Tunnel Vision of Week 13

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks	Yards	TD
Ryan Fitzpatrick	365 – 2	3
Aaron Rodgers	243 – 24	4
Kyle Allen	278 – 22	3
Dak Prescott	355 – 25	2
Carson Wentz	310 – 0	3
Running Backs	Yards	TD
Derrius Guice	137	2
Derrick Henry	166	1
Raheem Mostert	154	1
Peyton Barber	44	2
James White	177	2
Wide Receivers	Yards	TD
Devante Parker	159	2
Kenny Golladay	158	1
Alshon Jeffery	137	1
Courtland Sutton	74	2
Davante Adams	64	2
Tight Ends	Yards	TD
Tyler Higbee	107	1
Mike Gesicki	79	1
Jack Doyle	73	1
Jason Witten	42	1
Mark Andrews	50	1
Placekickers	XP	FG
Will Lutz	2	4
Brandon McManus	2	3
Jason Sanders	2 (+TD)	1
Jake Elliott	2	3
Dustin Hopkins	2	3
Defense	Sck-TO	TD
Buccaneers	5-4	1
Saints	9-3	0
Chiefs	2-3	1
Titans	3-3	1
Rams	5-1	1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

TE Greg Olsen – Concussion
RB Kalen Ballage – Leg
WR Chester Rogers – Knee
WR Trey Quinn – Concussion
RB Darrel Williams – Hamstring
QB Baker Mayfield – Hand

Chasing Ambulances

Another light week with nothing major happening on the injury front.

TE Greg Olsen – Out with a concussion that looked significant at the time. He’d give way to Ian Thomas if Olsen misses time and Thomas turned in four catches for 24 yards in the loss to the Redskins. But at this point of the season, it’s a non-event.

RB Kalen Ballage – This is the worst backfield so it doesn’t really matter. Myles Gaskin ran for 20 yards on two carries but Patrick Laird would pick up more work and he only ran for five yards on ten carries. Nothing here to bring into fantasy playoffs.

RB Darrel Williams – The Chiefs’ backfield is a mess and Williams only gained 13 yards on six runs before his hamstring injury that happened when he was untouched. Damien Williams could be back this week anyway and LeSean McCoy takes his cut. The only interesting outcome was letting Darwin Thompson run for 44 yards and a touchdown on 11 rushes. Again – not a lot here to rely on for fantasy playoffs.

QB Baker Mayfield – He appeared to hit his hand on a helmet and had an x-ray taken. He returned to the game so it is a non-event pending any further concerns this week in practice.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Anthony Miller – Taylor Gabriel was out with a concussion which elevated Miller in the win over the Lions. While he has yet to score a 2019 touchdown, Miller turned in a career-best 140 yards on nine catches last Thursday. And that follows two weeks of six-catch performances.

WR Cole Beasley – Saved his best for playing his ex-employer. Beasley hung six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown in Dallas but that makes a score in five of the last seven games and over 70 yards in three of his last four. As great as that sounds, facing BAL, @PIT, @NE, and NYJ sound like temper expectations.

Bills backfield – Said it many times before but it still kills me. Devin Singletary runs for 63 yards on 14 carries while Frank Gore still is given nine runs to gain 11 yards. I want Singletary next year when Gore is gone. Unless they bring in yet another aging back to slow down the offense.

RB Raheem Mostert – He was on a streak of games with only six carries but in Week 12, he gained 45 yards and scored. In Baltimore, Mostert was the only player with notable statistics when he ran for 146 yards on 19 carries and scored once. He added two catches for eight yards. Tevin Coleman was held to only six yards on five rushes. That’s hard to rely on playing at the Saints this week, but he looked clearly superior to Coleman.

RB Derrius Guice – He torched the Panthers for 129 yards and two touchdowns on just ten rushes and added two receptions for eight yards. Adrian Peterson also gained 99 yards and a score on 13 carries but it was against the Panthers and their No. 27 ranked defense versus running backs. Even better, the Redskins head to Green Bay this week to face the No. 30 defense against the position.

WR D.J. Moore – The Panthers wideout just caught six passes for 75 yards and one score in the loss to the Redskins. For the last five games, he’s totaled more fantasy points than any other wideout besides Jarvis Landry. And next week he faces the No. 30 defense versus wideouts in the Falcons.

QB Sam Darnold – After scoring six touchdowns over the previous two games, Darnold was held to only 239 yards and no scores by the Bengals. That calls into question if the Redskins and Raiders matchups were just a function of bad secondaries. This week they host the Dolphins but that doesn’t look as inviting as it once did. One plus – Robby Anderson still caught seven passes for 101 yards while all other receivers did very little.

QB Andy Dalton – Took his start and brought a win to the Bengals since they still own the worst record, just not a win-less record. With the Dolphins and both meetings with the Browns left o play, the Bengals have to decide if they want to risk that No. 1 overall pick next April.

RB Marlon Mack – Targeting this week to return. The Colt need him since the backfield is now a mess with Jordan Wilkins (11-47), Nyheim Hines (4-22, TD) and Jonathan Williams (8-14) canceling each other out in the loss to the Titans.

TE Jack Doyle – Eric Ebron landed on injured reserve and that left Doyle as the lone receiving tight end. He turned in six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. His 11 targets were more than any other Colt. And this week, he plays the Buccaneers that are ranked No. 31 versus tight ends.

QB Nick Foles – Facing the Buccaneers has been a gift for almost every opposing quarterback but Foles completed just 7-of-14 for 93 yards, with one interception and two lost fumbles by half time. He was benched so that Gardner Minshew could throw for 147 yards and one score in the second half. Now the problem is who plays in Week 14? The rookie or the $88M quarterback?

RB Ronald Jones – He was held to only eight yards on six carries while Peyton ~~Freaking~~ Barber was given 17 carries to gain 44 yards and two touchdowns. Just when you think it may be safe to trust Jones. You cannot.

WR Alshon Jeffery – Missed two games with an ankle injury but returned to post nice catches for 167 yards and a score in the loss to the Dolphins. This was the first time he’s played as well as he did in 2018. The Dolphins secondary was missing several players, so it’s likely a one-game aberration.

WR James Washington – The change to Devlin Hodges the last two weeks resulted in Washington logging 98 yards and a score at the Bengals and then 111 yards and a touchdown on Sunday versus the Browns. Even better, the Steelers face the Cardinals this week.

WR Robert Woods – He still has not caught a touchdown but he posted 95 yards in Week 10 before disappearing in Week 11 for unknown personal reasons. His return in Week 12 saw him catch six passes for 97 yards against the Ravens. On Sunday, he caught 13 passes for 172 yards. You do not need touchdowns with those sort of stats.

Cardinals backfield – The loss to the Rams meant less rushing anyway, but the backfield had Kenyan Drake, Chase Edmond, and David Johnson available. They elected to never use Edmonds, and run Drake 13 times for 31 yards and Johnson gained 15 yards on four rushes. Both Drake and Johnson caught two short passes. The remaining schedule – PIT, CLE, @SEA, and @LAR – all go against Top-12 defenses versus running backs.

QB Drew Lock – The Broncos opted to start their 2.10 pick in Lock, and the rookie responded with two touchdowns to Courtland Sutton in the first quarter. He ended with only 134 passing touchdowns and those two scores. But he helped lead the Broncos to the eventual win. He’ll need to throw in Houston and Kansas City next, but the first quarter is over and there isn’t enough there to merit any consideration.

TE Darren Waller – Led the Raiders with seven catches for 100 yards in the beatdown by the Chiefs. His nine targets were more than double anyone else and Tyrell Williams ended with only one catch for nine yards. The Raiders can no longer connect with wideouts and the top three receivers were two tight ends and the running back DeAndre Washington.

Huddle player of the week

Devante Parker – This is simply mind-blowing. Devante Parker was already the only receiver worth covering for the Dolphins but he caught seven passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Those were his first scores since Week 9 but Parker’s making the most of his opportunity after Preston Williams left in Week 10. He helped win a lot of fantasy games this week – if he was in the starting lineups.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy		Yards	TDs	Tragedy		Yards	TDs
QB	Ryan Fitzpatrick	367	3	QB	Drew Brees	184	1
RB	Raheem Mostert	154	1	RB	Aaron Jones	31	0
RB	Peyton Barber	44	2	RB	Ronald Jones	8	0
WR	Allen Lazard	103	1	WR	Odell Beckham	29	0
WR	Anthony Miller	140	0	WR	Chris Godwin	50	0
WR	Curtis Samuel	65	1	WR	Michael Thomas	48	0
TE	Tyler Higbee	107	1	TE	Hunter Henry	10	0
PK	Will Lutz	2 XP 4 FG		PK	Brett Maher	1 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 141				Huddle Fantasy Points = 29

Now get back to work…

Stopping Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller among 4 keys to Jets defense vs. Raiders

The Raiders feature two talented young offensive players – Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller – that could wreak havoc if the Jets can’t stop them.

The Jets return to Metlife Stadium on the heels of a great defensive performance in a win over the Redskins. Though they ended up allowing 17 points – which is coincidentally tied for the fewest they’ve allowed all season – the Jets defense had only given up three points before Washington scored twice in the final 10 minutes.

Gregg Williams’ crew will look to continue its hot streak against the Raiders, a team that sits in the middle of the pack in scoring (22.5 points per game, 17th in the league). They’ll need to rely on their dominant run defense as well as locking down two of Oakland’s young offensive weapons – running back Josh Jacobs and tight end Darren Waller. Cincinnati shockingly held the Raiders to only 17 points thanks to six sacks and two takeaways, and the Jets should be able to do at least that in Week 12.

Here are four keys to the Jets defense vs. the Raiders.

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