Skill Positions
Running Backs:
Alexander Mattison: 77 (T-42nd)
Zamir White: 74
Ameer Abdullah: 72
Dylan Laube: 65
Tyreik McAllister: 62
Brittain Brown: 59
This is a bit of a head-scratcher, as our starting running back is rated lower than our backup, but it makes sense. Given the bodies of work that these two players have in the NFL up to this point, it would not make much sense to have White ahead of Mattison. Having Abdullah encroaching on White’s territory is an odd pick as well.
Laube should rise up the ratings as he figures to be a key contributor, and if White takes the reins as the lead back, as he is expected to, he should be in the 80s in no time. I figured Sincere McCormick would be on here ahead of McAllister and Brown, but McAllister has a 92 speed rating, so that is intriguing.
Wide Receivers:
Davante Adams: 94 (X Factor) (6th)
Jakobi Meyers: 82 (T-37th)
Tre Tucker: 73
Jalen Guyton: 69
Kristian Wilkerson: 67
Alex Bachman: 65
DJ Turner: 64
Adams is Adams, and his rating and X-factor ability are both well-deserved. When you take stock of the WR rankings and see that Jakobi Meyers is in the neighborhood of Puka Nacua and Nico Collins, one would think that he has a much higher rating than 82. But EA makes mysterious decisions, like Gabe Davis, Mike Williams, or Zay Flowers being rated higher than any of these players.
As usual, Meyers flies under the radar, but Raider Nation knows who he is and what he brings. Of course, to prove their depth of football knowledge, EA included recently retired Michael Gallup in the initial rankings too. Ironically, DJ Turner has the lowest rating on the list here but may have the fourth-best odds of making the Raiders roster because of his special teams prowess. Tre Tucker having a 94-speed rating is fun too.
Tight Ends:
Brock Bowers: 78 (T-20th)
Michael Mayer: 74
Harrison Bryant: 71
Zach Gentry: 64
None of these players were in Meirov’s top 17 tight ends in the NFL, however, Bowers is knocking on the door with a 78 rating. The 16th and 17th best players at this position had an 80 overall rating, and I would not be surprised to see him climb into the territory of Kyle Pitts or Cole Kmet. Both of these players have an 83 rating and are tied for tenth in the league.
Bowers does have a speed rating of 89, which has to be one of the highest marks among tight ends, if not the highest. I am shocked to see Bryant rated so closely to Mayer, but perhaps the Raiders have a sleeper at third on the depth chart.