With that in mind, here is a look at the final stat lines from wide receiver Amari Cooper and tight end Mychal Rivera:
The numbers are solid, especially since neither played the entire game, but what they say about the big picture for each player is more important than the actual tallies in a preseason contest.
Cooper stands out on name recognition alone. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft and could revitalize an Oakland passing game that finished a dismal 26th in the league in 2014 if he fulfills his potential.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver was a 2014 Heisman Trophy finalist thanks to his 1,727 receiving yards and 16 touchdown catches. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver and was the 2014 SEC Offensive Player of the Year for good measure, which was enough to merit the Raiders’ first-round choice.
Talent is not the question with that collegiate resume in terms of fantasy production or how he'll perform on the actual field. Rather, how quickly Cooper adapts to the NFL game will determine his value in 2015.
Cooper appeared to be well-adapted Sunday when matched up against one of the league’s best defenders, per Chris B. Brown of Smart Football and Grantland:
It’s been a long time since fantasy football players have seen moves like that from an Oakland receiver. No Raiders pass-catcher topped 700 receiving yards in 2014, and James Jones (who led the team with six touchdown catches) is now a member of the New York Giants. In fact, it’s been 10 years since Oakland has boasted a 1,000-yard receiver (Randy Moss in 2005).
The cupboard is not bare around Cooper, though, because the Ra...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
