Upside by David Yudkin
Porter Will Pick Up Where He Left Off Prior to His Injury

Started to Emerge in 2002
Porter showed a lot of promise in his third season, posting a 65-925-12 season in the 19-game Raiders Super Bowl run (including 14-237-3 in the postseason). He was one of the most hyped fantasy players last preseason.

But Porter had a hard time recovering from hernia surgery and, like the rest of the Raiders, really never got it going in 2003. He started only one game and limped along to a 28-361-1 season.

Rice & Brown on Last Legs
Jerry Rice and Tim Brown have been two of the greatest WR to ever play the game, but at 42 and 38 the time has come for these two to step aside and let the youngsters play.

The Raiders were considering taking a WR early in the draft but elected to select Carlos Francis and Johnnie Morant in the middle rounds instead. Of the WR on the Raiders roster, a healthy Porter is the Raiders most talented WR.

Nose for the End Zone & Big Game Player
Porter excelled in 2002 with limited receptions but still managed to get into the end zone 12 times and was a big game player in the post season. He has the size and speed to go deep, across the middle, in the flat, and shake defenders both before and after the catch.

Bottom Line
If QB Rich Gannon returns, Porter stands an excellent chance to have a great season. If Gannon goes elsewhere, a lot will depend on who the replacement will be. Either way, Porter has the talent and size to make an impact in fantasy football and is again primed for a breakout season.

Downside by William Grant
After the 2002 season, things were really looking up for Jerry Porter. He had finished a good regular season performance (51-688, 9 TDs), with rock solid numbers throughout the playoffs (14-237, 3 TDs in 3 games.) In 2003, Porter was hampered by a hernia injury that he sustained in the first quarter of game one. When he returned, he had some solid games between weeks seven and twelve. However, poor quarterback play and another injury sent Porter quietly to the bench for the rest of the season. He finished 2003 with only 28 receptions, 361 yards and 1 TD.

For 2004, Porter could be a top ten wide receiver if he played on another team as the feature wideout. However, that is not the case in Oakland. As long as Tim Brown and Jerry Rice are breathing, they will be on the field. The Raiders are paying them far too much money for them to ride the bench. Coach Norv Turner promises that everyone will get a chance to compete. However, even if Porter starts, there are many things that will cut into his production:

• Inconsistency at the quarterback position seriously hurt the Raider offense last year.
• At this time, Rich Gannon is the current starting QB. He'll be 39 in December and he's recovering from major surgery on his throwing shoulder. His backup, Marques Tuiasosopo, has a grand total of 1 start in his four-year career. If Gannon falters because of age or injury, the Raiders could have another down year.

Porter will have plenty of competition for catches when the season begins. Aside from Rice and Brown at wideout, the Raiders added Carlos Francis and Johnnie Morant via the draft. Both of them are raw, but they also have a lot of potential. They will push for playing time from day 1. Tight Ends Johnson and Jolley will also see action, and will cut into Porter's numbers.

Porter has the skills to become a top notch WR in the NFL, but he has too many things stacked against him for it to happen this season.