In a loss to the Denver Broncos, the Las Vegas Raiders‘ rookie class made strides. A few of them should continue to play in prominent roles in Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Raiders have lost key players to injuries, creating opportunities for rookies to take on expanded roles. Las Vegas’ offensive line features three backups. A starting cornerback suffered a season-ending injury last Sunday. One of the team’s rookie wideouts is in concussion protocol.
Despite the losses, three Raiders showed promise in a tough matchup with the Broncos.
Let’s take a look at their performances and why they should start on Sunday against the Eagles.
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Cornerback Darien Porter
Darien Porter took over a starting job on the boundary after Kyu Blu Kelly ruptured his patellar tendon. The Raiders placed him on season-ending injured reserve, which opens up a spot opposite cornerback Eric Stokes.
Before last Sunday’s game, Porter played 100 percent of the snaps in two matchups, against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5 and against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9. Already in the rotation behind Stokes and Kelly, the rookie third-rounder should be the starter in place of the latter going forward.
If Porter starts in Week 15, he’ll face a tough challenge in matchups with the Eagles’ top two receivers, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who are both on pace to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards this season.
Wide Receiver Jack Bech
In Week 14, Jack Bech played a career-high 82 percent of the offensive snaps, which isn’t a coincidence. Fellow rookie wideout Dont’e Thornton Jr. missed the game while in concussion protocol, which allowed healthy receivers to take on bigger roles.
Bech made the most of his expanded role, leading the Raiders with five catches and 60 receiving yards against the Broncos. Quarterback Geno Smith showed trust in the rookie wideout, completing a pass to him on 4th-and-2 for a 17-yard gain. Bech hauled in all six of his targets.
Initially, Tyler Lockett‘s presence and connection with Smith took precedence over Bech’s development in the passing game, but his efficient outing should help him earn a fourth career start. Even if Thornton returns from concussion protocol, Bech should see a fair number of targets in the upcoming contest.
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Right Guard Caleb Rogers
With Jackson Powers-Johnson on injured reserve and Jordan Meredith banged up, the Raiders turned to Caleb Rogers to fill in at right guard. In Week 13, he rotated with Atonio Mafi. Last week, the rookie third-rounder played through the entire game in the starting spot.
In a tough matchup with the Broncos, who rank fifth in pressure rate at 26.9 percent, Rogers didn’t allow a pressure while on the field for 51 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
Though Meredith is cleared to play, head coach Pete Carroll erred on the side of caution with the fifth-year pro working his way back from an ankle injury.
Regardless of Meredith’s status, Rogers should retain the starting job at right guard after a strong Week 14 performance against one of the league’s best defensive fronts.
Maurice Moton covers the Raiders for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.
