PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : Ismail Might Play on Sunday

After sitting out the Raiders’ opener against the Minnesota Vikings last week, wide receiver-kick returner Rocket Ismail probably will be activated for Sunday’s game at Seattle, Coach Art Shell said.

“I expect that he’ll play this week,” Shell told reporters Thursday. “He’s getting a good grasp of what we’re doing now.”

Although Ismail has worked with the second team as the third wide receiver in passing situations in practice this week, Shell still is not in a hurry to activate the former Notre Dame standout.

“Rocket is just one man,” Shell said. “It’s not like we need him as our savior. He didn’t play in our game last Sunday, which shows the type of team we have.”

One problem the Raiders will have if they activate Ismail is that they will have to create a roster spot for him from their current 53-man lineup.

That may be difficult because the Raiders have several players with minor injuries. They include offensive tackle Bruce Wilkerson, who is questionable for Sunday’s game because of a knee injury and defensive lineman Chester McGlockton, who missed practice Thursday because of a toe injury.

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After one game, Jeff Hostetler is the fifth-ranked quarterback in the AFC with a 98.3 rating. . . . With two sacks against the Vikings, defensive end Anthony Smith is tied for first in the AFC. In the Raiders’ victory at Seattle last year, Smith had four sacks and two forced fumbles, including one that resulted in a safety. . . . A key factor in the Raiders’ victory over Minnesota was that the Raiders forced three turnovers and gave up one interception. That is a turnaround from last season, when they were among the league’s worst in the takeaway/giveaway statistical category.