The Raiders have allowed at least 24 points in each of the last three games.

Analysis: The Raiders' defense has struggled to shut down opponents in large part because it has forced just three turnovers and made five sacks through four games. They'll be constantly reminded about the latter when the Bears and LB Khalil Mack come to town. The Bears haven't looked dynamic this year, scoring 16 or less points in three of four contests, but they've protected the ball with just two turnovers. They'll likely be without QB Mitchell Trubisky (shoulder), but backup QB Chase Daniel looked…read more

The Raiders have allowed six passing touchdowns through three games.

Analysis: The Raiders are clearly weak in the secondary, as they allow 287 passing YPG while not recording an interception. The Colts haven't been productive through the air (198 YPG), but QB Jacoby Brissett has only thrown one pick. There's a good chance WR T.Y. Hilton (quadriceps) doesn't play in this contest, too, which would leave an inexperienced receiver corps to complement TE Eric Ebron. That will put a lot of pressure on their backfield, but RB Marlon Mack -- 4.9 YPC and 299 rushing yards --…read more

The Raiders have allowed 2.8 YPC this year.

Analysis: They haven't been playing slouches, either, as the Broncos and Chiefs both have respectable backfields. They'll have their toughest test yet against Vikings RB Dalvin Cook, who has already racked up 311 scrimmage yards and three scores. On the other end of the spectrum, QB Kirk Cousins has been less than impressive with just 328 passing yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and a 52.8 completion percentage so far. If the Raiders can hone in on stopping Cook, their prospects for a decent…read more

CB Gareon Conley (neck) is expected to play Sunday versus the Chiefs.

Analysis: Conley was carted off the field and transported to a hospital in the season opener against the Broncos, but everything appears to be fine. Although the Raiders held the Broncos to just 16 points to start their season with a win, any optimism about Oakland will be short-lived with a meeting with the Chiefs on tap. The Chiefs just rolled over a perennial powerhouse defense in Jacksonville with 46 points, and they're plenty dynamic even without WR Tyreek Hill (collarbone) in the fold. There's no…read more

The Raiders ranked last in the league last year with 29.2 points allowed per game.

Analysis: The Raiders defense was a disaster last season, and their main addition was first-round pick DE Clelin Ferrell out of Clemson. This clearly won't fill the void left behind by DE Khalil Mack, but it should slightly fill the void. The Broncos struggled offensively in 2018 with just 16.1 points per game (ranked 22nd), and the addition of QB Joe Flacco isn't going to invigorate the team. Furthermore, WR Emmanuel Sanders is returning from an Achilles tear, and while he's supposed to have made great…read more

DT Justin Ellis (knee) may not be ready for the season opener against the Broncos.

Analysis: The Raiders added DE Clelin Ferrell (fourth overall pick), S Jonathan Abraham (27th overall pick) and S Lamarcus Joyner (free agency) this offseason, but the defense overall remains devoid of top talent. Oakland ranked 26th in total defense (381.4 YPG) and 32nd in scoring defense (29.2 PPG) in 2018. The unit had zero pass rush last season, totaling a measly 13 sacks (less than half the total of the next worst team). The defense seems unlikely to move into fantasy relevance in 2019.

The Raiders forced two turnovers and held the Broncos to 14 points in Week 16. They will face the Chiefs in Sunday's season finale.

Analysis: Oakland put forth their best defensive effort of the season, holding an opponent to fewer than 20 points for the first time this season in Week 16. The Raiders were able to move up to the 31st-ranked scoring defense (28.8 PPG) with that performance, but now have a date with the highest scoring offense (35.3 PPG) in the league in the season finale. Giving the Raiders consideration as a fantasy option in this matchup against the Chiefs is essentially a waste of time, as the risk of them providing…read more

The Raiders feature the worst-ranked scoring defense in the NFL (29.9 PPG) entering their Week 16 game against the Broncos.

Analysis: Oakland has yet to hold any opponent this season to less than 20 points and has allowed a league-worst 146.4 rushing yards per game at 4.8 yards per carry. Broncos rookie RB Phillip Lindsey (5.4 YPC and nine touchdowns) is primed for a big game on Monday Night Football. Astonishingly, the Raiders have managed only 12 sacks through 14 games, which is half as many as the next-closest team and fewer than the sack totals of seven individual players. Oakland's defense hasn't been worth serious…read more

The Raiders boast the league's 28th-ranked total defense (392.2 YPG) entering Week 15.

Analysis: Oakland caught the league by surprise during last week's 24-21 win over Pittsburgh. It was only the Raiders third win of the season, but perhaps it was one of their best defensive performances of the year. While it was nice to see Jon Gruden's bunch string together a complete 60 minutes of football, Oakland is far from a defense worthy of serious consideration. This week's opponent, Cincinnati, is averaging 23.6 PPG and, even without A.J. Green (foot), still has offensive playmakers that will…read more

Oakland ranks 28th in the NFL in total defense (396.6 YPG) entering Week 14.

Analysis: It's been tough sledding for the Raiders who have struggled to adopt an identity through 12 games this season. Over their last two games, Oakland has surrendered a combined 74 points. Oddly enough, the Raiders have given up at least 20 points in every contest this season. With the Steelers on the immediate horizon, there's no reason to consider Oakland in Week 14. Better luck next year with this squad.

The Raiders allowed 416 yards during last Sunday's 34-17 loss to Baltimore. They'll take on the Chiefs in Week 13.

Analysis: Even worse, Oakland was gashed for 242 yards on the ground. In some respects, a lacking of ample film on Lamar Jackson didn't help, but Oakland officially looks lost on defense. Sunday's game against Kansas City has the makings of a potential blowout, especially with the Chiefs coming off a bye. Oakland likely has its sights set on April's draft.

The Raiders feature the 26th-ranked total defense (387.4 YPG) entering their Week 12 matchup with the Ravens.

Analysis: The Raiders also have the 30th-ranked scoring defense (29.3 PPG), although they have fared better allowing 20.5 points over the last two weeks. Oakland also has only nine sacks for the season and are near the bottom of the league with nine takeaways. The Ravens broke in rookie QB Lamar Jackson with 21 carries for 117 yards last week against the Bengals, and could take a similar run-heavy approach this week against the Raiders porous run defense, assuming Joe Flacco (hip) remains sidelined. The…read more

The Raiders enter their Week 11 matchup with Arizona as the league's 30th-ranked scoring defense (30.2 PPG).

Analysis: It's been a tough start out the gate for Jon Gruden, who has seemingly faced increased scrutiny with every decision made. For Oakland, the last two months of the season will be about building momentum for the 2019 season. With a poor pass rush and spotty secondary play, Oakland has been seemingly exposed week after week. Arizona doesn't have an intimidating offense, but David Johnson should be licking his chops when looking at this week's game film.