Overall Fantasy Impact: Average

Offensive Outlook: The Raiders are an extremely hard team to gauge entering the 2008 season.

So many newcomers are playing key roles on the offensive side of the ball that it’s hard to say who will be the productive fantasy players and who will be forgotten men.

One certainty is that the JaMarcus Russell era is beginning, and that’s cause for excitement for fantasy players hoping he’s the next dynamic quarterback to come down the pike. Throw in first-round running back Darren McFadden, and you can see why the Raiders will be fun to watch in ‘08.

QUARTERBACKS: The Raiders let Russell sit for most of his rookie season after he signed late. He got a chance to start the season finale and threw for 224 yards and a TD. That’s all you have to go on right now, so watch the preseason carefully. Russell likely will take his lumps this season, but his electric talent will shine through at times. He’s strictly fantasy back-up material to start the season, although he might be useful later in the season when he starts to get comfortable.

None of a bunch of possible back-ups (Andrew Walter, Marques Tuiasasopo, Sam Keller) are worth a look even should Russell miss time with injury.

RUNNING BACKS: This could be a case where the Raiders have a powerful running attack without having a standout fantasy running back. That’s because McFadden, Justin Fargas, and Michael Bush could all see significant time. Fargas is coming off a breakthrough season in his fifth year in the league, in which he rumbled for 1,009 yards. But McFadden wasn’t drafted that high to sit. A scenario like the Vikings had last year would be ideal, but it’s doubtful that the Raider duo will produce numbers quite that high. Look for Fargas to have more yards while McFadden comes out on top in scores. Both would be OK as No.2 fantasy backs, but you’d really have a luxury if you could get one as your No. 3.

Where does that leave Bush? If one of the top two runners should get hurt, the Raiders are very high on the former Louisville star who sat out all of his rookie season but is now ready to roll. He should be on your radar toward the end of the draft. Former starter Lamont Jordan is likely headed out of town.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: A combination of injury and off-the-field concerns make Javon Walker too risky to draft very high. He had a blistering start last year in Denver before the injury bugaboo got him again, and he showed no life when he returned from the injury down the stretch. I wouldn’t take on a chance on him unless I already had two, preferably three solid receivers on my roster.

Ronald Curry is more likely to be the Raiders top receiver again, and if Russell develops, that could mean a career season for him. He’s not explosive enough to be considered fantasy starter material though. The sleeeper is Drew Carter, whose numbers have improved in each of his three seasons despite being in Carolina where Steve Smith sucked up most of the passes. It’s not inconceivable that Carter racks up a bunch of scores, since he’s the best equipped to run down the long passes of Russell.

Considering he was a 21-year-old rookie, Zach Miller’s 444 yards and 3 TDs at tight end weren’t bad at all. He should benefit from a steadier QB situation, and should produce good enough numbers to make him a high-end fantasy back-up at the position.