Derek Carr and the Raiders got by the Titans today, but they were not able to put up significant points against a good Titans defense. The team might have been expected to do a little bit more, but they still won the game. Would you want to have Amari Cooper or Derek Carr on your fantasy team in week two given their sluggish performance? These two could be an amazing tandem this season, but it did not start out so well.
The Titans' defense
The Titans' defense was about as good as fans could have expected. They are not the best in the league, but they are certainly stout.
They helped contain the Raiders' offense to less than three touchdowns, and that can cause problems for a team that probably expects to score early and often. 35 points would have been a much more reasonable number for the Raiders, but the Titans spoiled that.
The Raiders' defense
The Raiders' defense did a good job stopping the Titans' offense led by Marcus Mariota. Marcus had a very good night, but he was not good enough to push the Titans past the Raiders. The offensive line played well enough, but there were not enough big plays to make up for the relatively conservative offense the Titans used. There are a number of ways that the Raiders' defense can improve, but they had a good showing to start the season.
However, they would do well to be more aggressive as the season goes on.
Marcus Mariota
We have seen some improvement from Marcus Mariota, but he did not have a breakout performance in week one. We could wait all season for Marcus to have an amazing performance, and he will give us something to remember when he finally has that big game that we have been hoping for.
Marcus Mariota is more than capable of leading an elite offense, and he must be expected to do so after this period of time. He has had time to mature, and the Titans are ready to take the next step in terms of competing for one of the wild card slots in the AFC.
Who should we trust?
We should trust both teams, but it would appear that the Raiders are a much better fantasy choice overall.
However, you could do worse than the Titans. These two teams have performed extremely well, and they have ensured that they will have a good season because of their opening performances. The fantasy players you pick up from both teams will give you the sort of success you are hoping for, and they may provide you with more points than the stragglers you tend to pick up when you choose your weekly fantasy team. Derek Carr is a smart bet, but Marcus could surprise you.
