Oakland Raiders 2018 season grades: WR Marcell Ateman
A lacking receiving corps that was hindered by injuries, the Oakland Raiders found contributors like Marcell Ateman, who could be a piece for the future.
Among the roster holes that the Oakland Raiders will surely address come the NFL Draft and Free Agency is the lack of talent in the receiving corps. In 2018 the passing attack for the Raiders was limited, either due to the increasing number of injuries that led to the number of able bodies to dip or due to the departure of players via trade like Amari Cooper.
As a result, the Raiders looked towards free agent signings and explored all of the depth chart in hopes of finding suitable replacements for a struggling group of wideouts. Among those that made a solid contribution was Marcell Ateman. The rookie receiver out of Oklahoma State, taken in the seventh round by Oakland in 2018, heard his name called and stepped up when needed. Though he had his moments of struggle, he could be in the Raiders’ future plans.
Here’s our season grade for wide receiver Marcell Ateman.
Expectation
With a group of receivers that already included returnees Amari Cooper and Seth Roberts along with the newly signed Jordy Nelson, the expectation was that the above three would work cohesively with Derek Carr and hope to take a leap under the helm of their new coach and offensive guru Jon Gruden.
At the onset of the season, the seventh round pick by the Raiders would likely find himself deep on the depth chart, likely seeing some playing time in the preseason but most likely taking a backseat role in the offense. If he did get snaps during the regular season, it could be on special teams or in the case of an injured player above him on the depth chart.
Reality
Everything seemed to be going according as planned to start the season, at least in terms of Ateman’s role with the team. He was waived on September 1, 2018 and was signed to the practice squad on the next day. However, come late October the Raiders traded Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys, and Ateman subsequently heard his name called to bolster the receiver depth, being promoted to the active roster on October 23rd.
Marcell Ateman had his bright moments, including when he was vital in the Raiders’ Week 11 victory on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. Ateman caught four receptions for 50 yards, including a clutch reception on the game-winning drive. He also showcased his weaknesses, namely his lack of speed, in certain instances such as Oakland’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12.
Looking Ahead
The Raiders should hopefully look to address the receiver position and aim to find talent through the coming draft, perhaps even through free agency. Though he had his ups and downs, Ateman stepped up the plate and slowly began to build chemistry with Derek Carr. One of the great sights to see was Carr connecting with Ateman on a late touchdown to bring the game within reach during their close loss to their rival Chiefs.
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Ateman may not become the number one option, but with Carr looking to take the next step in Gruden’s offense it will be a great advantage to see another wideout with whom he’s built chemistry with return to the field in 2019.