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Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr did not have his finest hour in 2018, throwing for 4,049 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while the Raiders won just four games.
In Carr's defense, the entire Oakland team was awful this past season, and Carr getting sacked 51 times while sitting behind a horrific offensive line did not make things easier for him.
But this offseason, the Raiders have completely revamped their roster, going out and adding pieces like wide receivers Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams and offensive lineman Trent Brown.
So, with the new additions that Oakland has made this offseason, is Derek Carr now a potential bounce-back candidate in Fantasy Football?
Well, first of all, we have to keep in mind that Carr is just 28 years old and has looked really good in the past, so he unquestionably has the ability to be a good quarterback on the NFL level.
As a matter of fact, back in 2016, Carr was an MVP candidate after throwing for 3,937 yards, 28 touchdowns and six picks while completing 63.8 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 96.7.
Carr also made three straight Pro Bowl appearances between 2015 and 2017, so it's not like he has always been a shaky quarterback, and his lack of production this past season had a whole lot to do with his surroundings.
Now, Carr has a top-flight receiver to throw to in Brown and a really solid No. 2 in Williams, so he absolutely has some weapons. Also, the other Brown should help tremendously along the offensive line.
Still, the Raiders lack a proven running game, as Doug Martin is not really a great No. 1 back at this stage, and even with the addition of Brown, the offensive line still has a whole lot of question marks.
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I can say that it is fair to be cautiously optimistic about Carr heading into 2019, as even with an atrocious supporting cast this past season, he was not terrible, completing 68.9 percent of his passes and registering a passer rating of 93.9. Remember: the Raiders traded Amari Cooper halfway through the year, leaving tight end Jared Cook (who is now in New Orleans) as Carr's best target.
I'm not saying that Derek Carr is going to be an elite quarterback in Fantasy, but there is a chance that he at least resembles his 2016 form, and more than likely, he will be quite a bit better than he was in 2018.
Again, there are plenty of signal-callers to take ahead of Carr, and there are even two in his own division in Patrick Mahomes and Philip Rivers.
But this isn't about whether or not Carr is going to be a Fantasy Football monster; it's about whether or not he is a bounceback candidate, and judging from all of the moves Oakland made this offseason, he certainly is.
With a couple of wideouts who can make plays for themselves, especially in the case of Brown, who can turn even bad throws into big gains, Carr should post pretty nice numbers in 2019 and should probably even post a career-high in yards. As for topping his lifetime-best 32 touchdown passes? It's possible.
Basically, you shouldn't aim for Carr as your quarterback, but if you have to settle for him, it's hardly the worst thing in the world.
