Nov 26, 2024 10:22 am: The Raiders are preparing for O'Connell (thumb) to start Friday's game at Kansas City, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: O'Connell remains on injured reserve, but the Raiders set in motion his potential return for Week 13 by opening his 21-day practice window Monday. According to Pelissero, O'Connell took all the first-team reps during Monday's unofficial practice session, while Desmond Ridder worked with the second team after coming on to replace the injured Gardner Minshew (collarbone) in Sunday's 29-19 loss to the Broncos. With Minshew out for the season, O'Connell should have the opportunity to start for the Raiders over the final six contests, provided his fractured right thumb doesn't present any complications in practice leading up to Friday's game. O'Connell profiles as a low-end fantasy option after he completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 6.3 yards per attempt and a 14:9 TD:INT while offering little production as a runner (11 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries) over his first 15 NFL appearances (12 starts).