There's no doubt that Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has taken a step forward in his second season. He's handling the blitz much better, completing a higher percentage of his passes and pushing the ball downfield more often. Oakland's offense actually looks respectable instead of the punchline it has been for a decade now.
But can Carr be counted upon consistently from a fantasy football perspective? He's got a lot of arm talent and improved weapons around him, but he's still a bit all over the map. He's failed to top 250 passing yards in two of his last three games and has thrown picks in half of his outings this year. The upside is there, but it may be one more year until he's truly ready to be a viable fantasy option.
"It is simplistic to state the Raiders' Derek Carr is somewhere in between [a free agent and a top fantasy QB], since more than 25 quarterbacks are, but Carr does possess top-10 upside," ESPN Fantasy Insider Eric Karabell wrote. "It's doubtful he gets there this season, if ever, but this is a mtachup option for sure, buoyed by impressive weapons like Amari Cooper. Carr tossed touchdown passes to three different outlets on Sunday and avoided turnovers. Sure, Carr struggled in Week 5 against Denver, but that's to be expected. He's also topped 20 fantasy points in three games and is on his way to 4,000 passing yards. Carr and Blake Bortles look like dynasty keepers, thanks to their talent and what's around them."
Overall, Carr has thrown for 1,460 yards with 11 touchdowns against just three interceptions. He ranks sixth in passer rating (101.0) and 11th in completion percentage (65.8) and average yards per attempt (7.57). Oakland's offensive line is one of the better pass-blocking units in the league and third-round rookie tight end Clive Walford is starting to emerge alongside Cooper.
There's still a long way to go as Carr, like any young quarterback, needs to improve in several areas. But his fantasy future is looking up at the moment.
