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Tucker operated as a vertical slot receiver last year, ranking top-two in aDOT (17.5), yards per reception (17.8) and deep-target rate (30.0 percent) among 17 rookie wide receivers with at least 75 slot receiving snaps. He caught 100 percent of his targets deemed catchable by PFF. The Raiders deep tight end group, featuring Michael Mayer and first-round rookie Brock Bowers, make for tough interior target competition but Tucker’s continuing offseason drum beat and defined role work in his favor.

Minshew went 7-6 as the Colts’ starter in 2023 and earned a two-year, $25 million contract from the Raiders in the offseason. It made sense to pencil him in as the starter when he signed the deal, but O’Connell has looked good in the offseason program after making some noise as a rookie. He went 5-5 as a starter and put his best work on tape down the stretch. O’Connell threw for eight touchdowns with no interceptions in the final four weeks of the season. For now, fantasy managers can avoid this quarterback room as we will likely see both passers at some point this season.

5-foot-9, 4.4-speed Tucker caught just 19 balls as a third-round rookie last season, though 11 of those came over his final four games. Per Gutierrez, he has been “blowing by poor defensive backs” and “stopping on a dime to run comebacks and outs.” He’s caught the attention of coach Antonio Pierce. “Tre Tucker, different dude,” Pierce gushed. “Looks different. Acts different. Runs different. Catches the ball different. Don’t look at the size; don’t mention that. Watch him play. He’s the biggest guy out there.” Tucker is a distant third on the depth chart behind Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, but his No. 3 job certainly sounds secured. He’s a late-round freebie behind his older teammates.

Teamer was released by the Raiders last season following an arrest for a DUI. Teamer has played primarily on special teams during his career, and played his college football at Tulane. It’s a return home for Teamer, who will have a chance to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster this offseason.

Carter spent last season with the Raiders, appearing in all 17 games while catching four passes for 39 scoreless yards. For much of his six-year career, Carter’s primary contributions have been in the return game. He returned 35 kicks and punts for 494 yards and could flourish as a kick returner under the league’s new return rules. He’ll likely have to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster but should have a good shot at handling primary kick return duties this season.

After spending all of the offseason away from the Giants, Waller is now ready to hang it up. The eight-year vet entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Ravens back in 2015. The former Georgia Tech wide receiver battled through substance abuse issues early in his career and missed the 2017 season as a result of being suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He returned to the Ravens in 2018 and was traded to the Raiders at the end of that season. In 2019, Waller, who had made the permanent switch to tight end, broke out for 90-1145-3 and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2020 when he caught 107 passes for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns. Injuries would plague him over the last three years, as he appeared in just 32 of a possible 51 games and played in just 12 games for the Giants in his lone season with the team. Waller overcame late draft capital, early struggles in his career, and a positional overhaul to carve out a solid career for himself. His retirement frees up roughly $11.6 million in cap space for the Giants, who are now expected to go with third-year tight end Daniel Bellinger as their starter. They also selected Penn State’s Theo Johnson with the No. 107 pick in this year’s draft.

Good stuff, though Telesco was speaking in the context of Laube’s special-teams potential. Already an ancient 24 years old after a marathon FCS career, Laube can catch passes for days but will likely have to force his way onto the field via the third unit. That might disappoint some overzealous fantasy managers, but nailing down return work would presumably create eventual opportunities on offense. Behind Zamir White and Alexander Mattison, Laube is definitely in the right backfield to do some depth chart climbing.

They have also reportedly moved ahead another $1.5 million for 2025. They are essentially placating Crosby by moving up some money he was going to see, anyways, as he plays out the final three years of his current deal. Crosby feels like he’s been around forever but is heading into only his age-27 campaign. Raiders coach Antonio Pierce has made it clear he views Crosby as the heart and soul of the team. They are doing more to keep him happy than you would usually see from an NFL team.

Mayer has been a full participant in the Raiders’ offseason program. His attention now turns to how to co-exist with new first-round teammate Brock Bowers. Mayer, of course, has said all the right things about his new position group mate, but Bowers’ presence is going to make it virtually impossible for Mayer to crack the top 20 at tight end despite his promising rookie campaign.

Carr, who quarterbacked the Raiders from 2014 to 2022, will get a matchup against his former team on the second to last week of the regular season (and the final week of the fantasy football playoffs). Carr in 2023 threw for 3,888 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in his first season as Saints quarterback. His adjusted yards per attempt (7.3) was slightly above his career mark of 7.1. Neither the Saints nor the Raiders have a great chance to compete for a postseason berth in the season’s penultimate week.