New Raiders Wide Receiver Could Start in Week 5

jongruden

Getty An Oakland Raiders defensive player has been fined again.

The Oakland Raiders are battered and bruised at wide receiver.

As the Raiders prepare for their Week 5 matchup against the Chicago Bears, their wide receiving corps are so injured that they could only have three healthy receivers for Sunday’s game.

Tyrell Williams remains questionable for Week 5 after missing both Wednesday and Thursday’s practices due to a foot injury. Meanwhile, J.J. Nelson could miss his second straight game as he was a limited participant in Wednesday and Thursday’s practices due to a knee injury. To top things off, receiver/kick returner Dwayne Harris was limited in practice on Wednesday and did not participate in practice on Thursday due to a nagging ankle injury that has sidelined him since Week 3.

That means the Raiders are left with three truly healthy receivers — rookie Hunter Renfrow, the undrafted Keelan Doss and a guy that Oakland just acquired prior to Week 4, Trevor Davis.

Davis, who has made a career in the NFL as a special teams player, has been taking first-team reps due to the absences of Williams and Nelson. The 26-year-old Davis has electrifying speed, but he has just nine career receptions to his name and he played in his first Raiders game just last week.


The Raiders Lack Experienced Receivers

The 6-foot-1 Davis made an impact in Oakland’s 31-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts, carrying the ball a couple of times for 74 yards and a touchdown — a 60-yard TD run where he took it all the way to the end zone on an end-around.

Considering the trio of Davis, Doss and Renfrow have a combined total of just 21 receptions to their career resumes, Derek Carr and the Raiders offense could be in a world of trouble as they face a Chicago Bears defense that features former Raider Khalil Mack and a defense that ranks second in the NFL in points allowed at just 11.3 points per game.


Khalil Mack Looking Forward to Facing His Former Team

This game has been in the making for over a year, but it’s finally happening.

Mack, who was in the midst of a long contract impasse with the Raiders prior to last season, was traded by Jon Gruden to the Bears in exchange for a number of draft selections. The move was a peculiar one, considering Mack is considered one of the top defensive players in the NFL and had been a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro with Oakland.

The 28-year-old Mack will finally have his chance at some semblance of revenge and needless to say, he’s looking forward to it, as he stated during an appearance on the NFL Network earlier this week.

Via Josh Schrock of NBC Sports.

“Yes sir, I’ve been looking forward to it,” Mack told Deion Sanders after the Bears’ Week 4 win over the Vikings. “This is one I’ve been looking forward to, man. I can’t lie to you. I got to let you know how it is, it’s going to be a big one for us.”

Considering the Raiders are banged up along the offensive line, Mack could have his way with the Raiders on Sunday. He leads a Chicago defense that ranks fifth in the NFL in total defense, third in sacks with 17 and has forced seven fumbles while posting four interceptions.

It is not looking good for the Raiders.

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