Barkowitz: Raiders' Carr can't afford a letdown when Broncos come to town
THE NFL IS a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately kind of league. Fantasy is more, what will you do for me this week? Which brings us to Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.
THE NFL IS a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately kind of league.
Fantasy is more, what will you do for me this week?
Which brings us to Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.
Normally, when a guy throws for 513 yards, the only way he is not starting the following week is if he is on bye or he got caught speeding on a bridge with weed in his vehicle.
But in fantasy, we get to consider the matchups, and Carr does not have a favorable one this week, as the Broncos make their annual visit to the Black Hole.
Not only is Carr winning games for the Raiders (6-2), he's also winning respect for himself.
"All the success that he's having this season is really not a surprise to me," observed Denver star defensive end Von Miller. "I've seen it. I've seen it in him. I've seen the type of quarterback that he can be."
So have we, which is why there still are questions.
Last year, Carr had a similarly red-hot start and faded down the stretch as his offensive line showed cracks and top wide receiver Amari Cooper hit the rookie wall. In 2015, Carr had 19 TD passes and four interceptions through eight games. This year, he has 17 and three. Those three interceptions are tied with Andy Dalton for the fewest among quarterbacks with 250 attempts.
He finished 2015 mired in mediocrity by throwing 13 TD passes and nine interceptions over his final eight games while getting sacked 23 times. One of those games was in Denver, where he had two touchdown passes, no interceptions and only 135 yards passing. But he got the victory, his first against the Raiders' nemesis, by committing no turnovers.
He sure seems to have graduated from being a game manager to a difference maker, but Sunday night will be his biggest test. The Broncos lead most scoring formats in fewest points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. They've given up six TD passes in eight games, and no quarterback has put up 300 yards.
The Daily News has Carr rated 11th among fantasy QBs this week. ESPN has him at 15; ditto for CBS Sports.
"Anytime you see a guy throwing it as much as they've thrown it, and yet how well he's protecting the football - I think he's only been sacked nine times," Denver coach Gary Kubiak said, "that tells you about his growth right there . . . Obviously, Derek is playing as good as anybody in football right now."
Triviality
The record for most passing yards over a two-game period is 945 and held by what Hall of Fame quarterback? Hint: He won the only Super Bowl he ever started.
Wager update
Brandon Marshall made some inroads in his bet with Antonio Brown, but it took a Steelers bye week to do so.
Brown has 592 yards in seven games, while Marshall, whose Jets have their bye in Week 11, has 540 in eight games. Whoever has the most yards for the season gets the other guy's car.
Brown has a Rolls-Royce, Marshall a Porsche.
Gotta like Brown's chances, especially with starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger expected back Sunday.
Answer man
Phil Simms set the record for most passing yards over two consecutive games when he posted 945 in Weeks 5 and 6 in 1985. Simms had four touchdown passes and four interceptions. The Giants went 10-6 that year and lost the two games Simms set this record.
Position watch
Quarterbacks: Andrew Luck, at Green Bay on Sunday, has seven TDs and three picks in eight road games this season. At home, he's posted 9 and 2...Matthew Stafford is 5-7 in his career against Minnesota, though Sunday will be his first outdoor game there. He's thrown 18 TDs and five picks.
Running back: Jay Ajayi puts his two-game, 200-yard streak up against a Jets defense that is ranked No. 1 against the run. New York has stopped just about everyone, except David Johnson, who romped for 111 yards and three TDs. Ajayi has to be started, given the roll he's on...New England's Dion Lewis (knee) could be back in Week 10, which logically will hurt James White's value. Lewis is worth adding...Paul Perkins, a fifth-round rookie out of UCLA, appears to be the next candidate to get some work for the Giants. Rashad Jennings and Orleans Darkwa are not the answer. New York has been 29th or worse in yards per attempt in three of the last four years.
Wide receiver: Cleveland has been roasted by the top receivers it has faced this season, including A.J. Green (8-169-1) and Jarvis Landry (7-120-1). But second-tier WRs also have feasted, such as Kendall Wright (8-133-1), Chris Hogan (4-114-0) and Jordan Matthews (7-114-1). Dez Bryant is an obvious WR1 against the Browns, while Cole Beasley is a high WR2...Sammy Watkins (foot) could return to practice next Friday and get back into the lineup by the end of the month.
Week 9 rankings
Quarterback, Team, Opponent
1. Aaron Rodgers, GB vs. Ind.
2. Matt Ryan, Atl. at TB
3. Drew Brees, NO at SF
4. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit. at Bal.
5. Marcus Mariota, Ten. at SD
6. Matthew Stafford, Det.at Min.
7. Andrew Luck, Ind. at GB
8. Philip Rivers, SD vs. Ten.
9. Dak Prescott, Dal. at Cle.
10. Cam Newton, Car. at LA
11. Derek Carr, Oak. vs. Den.
12. Jameis Winston, TB vs. Atl.
Running back, Team, Opponent
1. Ezekiel Elliott, Dal. at Cle.
2. Le'Veon Bell, Pit. at Bal.
3. Devonta Freeman, Atl. at TB
4. DeMarco Murray, Ten. at SD
5. Jonathan Stewart, Car. at LA
6. Jay Ajayi, Mia. vs. NYJ
7. Melvin Gordon, SD vs. Ten.
8. Theo Riddick, Det.at Min.
9. Charcandrick West, KC vs. Jac.
10. Devontae Booker, Den. at Oak.
11. Christine Michael, Sea.vs. Buf.
12. Matt Forte, NYJ at Mia.
13. Todd Gurley, LA vs. Car.
14. Darren Sproles, Phi. at NYG
15. Latavius Murray, Oak. vs. Den.
16. Frank Gore, Ind.at GB
17. Terrance West, Bal.vs. Pit.
18. LeSean McCoy, Buf. at Sea.
19. Mark Ingram, NO at SF
20. Isaiah Crowell, Cle. vs. Dal.
21. Ryan Mathews, Phi. at NYG
22. Tim Hightower, NO at SF
23. Carlos Hyde, SFvs. NO
24. C.J. Prosise, Sea.vs. Buf.
25. Ty Montgomery, GBvs. Ind.
Wide receiver, Team, Opponent
1. Julio Jones, Atl. at TB
2. Antonio Brown, Pit. at Bal.
3. Odell Beckham, NYG vs. Phi.
4. Jordy Nelson, GB vs. Ind.
5. Brandon Marshall, NYJ at Mia.
6. Mike Evans, TB vs. Atl.
7. Dez Bryant, Dal. at Cle.
8. T.Y. Hilton, Ind. at GB
9. Doug Baldwin, Sea. vs. Buf.
10. Brandin Cooks, NO at SF
11. Amari Cooper, Oak. vs. Den.
12. Demaryius Thomas, Den. at Oak.
13. Jarvis Landry, Mia. vs. NYJ
14. Stefon Diggs, Min. vs. Det.
15. Davante Adams, GB vs. Ind.
16. Emmanuel Sanders, Den. at Oak.
17. Kelvin Benjamin, Car. at LA
18. Golden Tate, Det. at Min.
19. Marvin Jones, Det. at Min.
20. Allen Robinson, Jac. at KC
21. Tyrell Williams, SD vs. Ten.
22. Mohamed Sanu, Atl. at TB
23. Jordan Matthews, Phi.at NYG
24. Jeremy Maclin, KC vs. Jac.
25. Michael Crabtree, Oak. vs. Den.
Tight end, Team, Opponent
1. Greg Olsen, Car. at LA
2. Travis Kelce, KC vs. Jac.
3. Jimmy Graham, Sea. vs. Buf.
4. Delanie Walker, Ten. at SD
5. Jack Doyle, Ind. at GB
6. Hunter Henry, SD vs. Ten.
7. Gary Barnidge, Cle. vs. Dal.
8. Kyle Rudolph, Min.vs. Det.
9. Antonio Gates, SD vs. Ten.
10. Coby Fleener, NO at SF
11. Cameron Brate, TBvs. Atl.
12. Jason Witten, Dal.at Cle.
DFS sleepers
Quarterbacks: Marcus Mariota, Eli Manning
Running backs: Charcandrick West, C.J. Prosise
Wide receivers: Tyrell Williams, Donte Moncrief
Tight ends: Antonio Gates, Dennis Pitta
@EdBarkowitz