2017 NFL Power Rankings Preseason Week 2: Los Angeles Rams take major step forward

6. Oakland Raiders (7)

As exciting as it would have been to see Marshawn Lynch suit up in his first preseason game, the Oakland Raiders realize they need to be cautious with their new beloved running back, and it’s only a matter of time before Beast Mode is back in full swing. On paper, the Raiders already had one of the league’s most high-powered offenses thanks to Derek Carr, and now that Lynch is officially on board, this unit seems capable of hitting a whole new level in 2017.

Speaking of Carr, it shouldn’t be considered a big deal to see Oakland end up on the losing end against the Arizona Cardinals since the Raiders quarterback didn’t even end up playing. Just like Marcus Mariota, Oakland lost Carr towards the end of the regular season last year with a crushing leg injury, and making sure there are no set backs for the regular season is what the team cares about the most.

Watching Carr emerge into an MVP candidate in 2016 despite his young age shows how special of a quarterback he truly is, and what’s even more amazing is the Raiders realize the best has yet to come. In fact, Oakland is considered one of the most popular bets at the moment to win the Super Bowl this year, so that should provide even more motivation for Carr and company.