Wed, Mar 2, 2005 at 11:00pm

MOSS HEADS TO OAKLAND

The Oakland Raiders acquired wide receiver Randy Moss from the Minnesota Vikings for linebacker Napoleon Harris, a first-round draft pick in 2005 and a seventh-round draft pick in 2005.

What does it give the Oakland Raiders
The superstar receiver they haven't had since the glory days of Tim Brown. At 28 years old Moss is still in his prime, and the Raiders are sorely in need of a player who can keep their fans excited. Since their post-Super Bowl collapse two years ago, Al Davis and company have been looking for a spark that will help the team start heading in the right direction. This might be just that, as Moss is possibly the league's top ball-catcher when he's healthy and on his game.

What does it give the Minnesota Vikings
An upgrade on defense in Harris, and a likely star with the No. 7 pick. Minny needed to start balancing out their defense after their playoff collapse, and while Moss is a playmaker he was also often injured and expendable. Harris helps them shore up the center of their run-stop, a big weakness for the team during the regular season. He'll join a young linebacking core and could emerge as its leader, while Mike Tice is reportedly already talking about replacing Moss with the likes of such draft possibles as Mike Williams.

Fantasy impact