DENVER (at Las Vegas)
The Broncos offense has come to life lately, with 7 touchdowns in its last two games. Both were favorable matchups (Chargers and Falcons), but so is this one. The Raiders ...

... rank in the bottom 10 in both yards and points allowed, giving up nearly 29 points per game. We can't go that high on Denver, which has managed a lot of its production the last two games against relaxed defenses with huge leads. The Broncos only scored 16 points in each meeting a year ago. But we're thinking they'll probably come through with a couple of touchdowns this time around, maybe sneaking ...

This report is taken from today's Week 9 edition of Fantasy Index Weekly. The newsletter includes our player rankings and 18 pages of matchup previews, plus stat projections and custom rankings for the games being played this weekend.

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... up among the week's top 20 offenses, though probably not top 15. ... Way too soon to suggest Drew Lock has turned any kind of a corner in his development. Though he's averaged 281 passing yards and thrown 5 touchdowns the last two games, with another 46 yards and a touchdown on the ground, the vast majority of that came after his team trailed 24-3 and 27-6 in the third quarter of those games; defenses play differently and production comes a little easier in those situations. He averaged 220 passing yards and threw 1 touchdown in his first three games; that's probably closer to where he's at in his development. Give Lock credit for making strides and leading a comeback win (and 7-point loss) the last two weeks, but he's not there yet as a quarterback. The Raiders, at least, are passer-friendly. Statistically they're 22nd, helped by a weather-affected win over Cleveland, but have allowed over 300 passing yards on four occasions (270-plus in two others) and also multiple passing touchdowns four times. No pass rush (9 sacks), making everything easier. Quarterbacks not to throw for 270-plus against this defense are Cam Newton and Baker Mayfield. Lock had just 177 yards and a touchdown in a Week 17 win a year ago; unlikely he finishes with more than average yardage, plus this defense is just as likely to allow touchdowns on the ground as through the air (13 of each). But he'll have some time to throw and some open receivers. A willingness to run (29 yards in last year's meeting and 47 at Atlanta last week) helps him make a little more palatable in a lineup. ... Lock seems to have a couple of capable wide receivers to throw to (will be even more promising next year, with Courtland Sutton back). Tim Patrick has been steady, averaging 4 catches for 55 yards, with 3 touchdowns in seven games. Jerry Jeudy is the first-round talent, and he had a big game at Atlanta, catching 7 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. Jeudy caught only 1 pass in the first half, plus that's a pretty weak pass defense, but he took advantage of his late opportunities (and this defense might not be much better). The Broncos are also getting some solid contributions from second-rounder KJ Hamler. He caught the game-winning touchdown against the Chargers and then 6 for 75 at Atlanta, playing over three quarters of the snaps in both those games. These wideouts will face a defense that's allowed 8 touchdowns to wide receivers, which is ordinary, but 7 in the last five games. If Lock can finish with average passing production, perhaps a couple of these guys will be viable. ... Noah Fant has been consistently involved, with 5-plus catches in more than half (4) of his seven games. Just 2 touchdowns, as he's been losing some red-zone looks to fourth-rounder Albert Okwuegbunam, but the rookie is out for the season with a torn ACL, and Denver doesn't have a comparable receiving threat at the position; more of those targets should go to Fant the rest of the way. The Raiders have allowed 3 touchdowns to tight ends; would have been 3 in the last four games but for a final-play breakup against the Chargers last week. ... The Broncos are using a committee backfield, with neither player looking great these days. Melvin Gordon averages 56 rushing yards, and with 4 touchdowns. But he's been under 30 rushing yards and 3.3 yards per attempt in three of five. Phillip Lindsay has been a lot better, up at 5.8 yards per attempt. He's gone over 75 yards in three of four, with a 55-yard touchdown run in the comeback against the Chargers. Should the team move him past Gordon, he'd start to look pretty appealing -- rushed for over 100 yards in the game Gordon missed, at New England. But he hasn't been effective in the passing game (2 catches on 7 targets, including a drop on what would have been a big play over the middle at Atlanta), which hurts him with the team playing from behind a lot. The Raiders have played the run fairly well most weeks, allowing 95 yards per game (setting aside Cam Newton and the Patriots hitting them for 250 back in Week 3). But they've allowed 2 touchdowns on the ground six times in eight games; 13 total (tops in the league, and as many as they've allowed passing), so good chance at least one of these players gets in the end zone. Lindsay averaged 48 rushing yards in the series a year ago, while Gordon (with the Chargers) has a favorable history against this particular opponent.

In seven career starts, he's scored 8 touchdowns -- at least 1 TD in all but one game, and over 120 total yards in five of them. A featured back in most of those games, of course, which isn't the case now. ... Brandon McManus averages 8 kicking points, with a couple of really big games (and 7-9 the last two weeks even with Denver falling way behind). The Raiders are allowing just under 8 per game. ... The Broncos Defense has a top-10 pass rush (22 sacks), but ranks in the bottom 10 for takeaways (6 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries). Derek Carr isn't a particularly good matchup these days for either. He's taken just 14 sacks (and only 29 last season), so fewer than 2 per game. He also favors the short, careful throws over forcing the ball downfield, having thrown only 2 interceptions. Carr was sacked only twice and didn't turn it over in last year's series.