Oakland Raiders: 15 best wide receivers of all-time
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Some legendary names have donned the Silver and Black, especially at wide receiver. Let’s take a look at who makes the top-15.
The NFL has few franchises as storied as the Raiders. Whether in Oakland, Los Angeles, or soon to be Las Vegas, the Raiders are one of the most decorated teams the sport has seen. One of the team’s motto’s “Commitment to Excellence” is displayed by the accomplishments of the franchise in their 58-year AFL/NFL history.
Three Super Bowl victories, one AFL Championship, four conference championships and 15 division championships (across both AFL and NFL) are the pedigree of a storied franchise.
Not to mention the 12 total Raiders players who are inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as primary Raiders, making their biggest mark on the game in the Silver and Black. That doesn’t even include the great Al Davis, John Madden and others. Overall, there are 25 total Raiders in Canton.
A handful of those Hall of Famers were wide receivers, whether they played primarily for the Raiders or only made brief cameos. After all, this is a list of the Raiders best, not simply the best to ever play for the Raiders.
For the purposes of this list, a combination of attributes will be considered for each player. Things like length of time with the team, statistics compiled, and fan opinion have the most impact. Let’s start it off with a couple of honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions: Dave Casper and Todd Christensen (both technically tight ends), Dokie Williams, Mike Siani, Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Randy Moss
15
Andre Holmes
Wide Receiver, (2013-16)
Andre Holmes sneaks his way on to this list for a handful of reasons. I know, I know, how can I put Holmes here and leave Moss out? Well, quite frankly, his story is a lot more enjoyable. Moss only spent two seasons with the team, while Holmes spent four years with the Raiders.
Holmes began his career as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings, but was released and landed with the Cowboys. He spent two years in Dallas before finding his way to Oakland where he would finally prove that he belongs in the NFL. In 2013, his first season with the team, Holmes appeared in 10 games and caught his first touchdown in the NFL.
Over the next three seasons, Holmes was a mainstay on offense and special teams. He provided a lot of value as the third receiver on the roster, proving to be a reliable red zone target. Holmes recorded back-to-back seasons with four touchdowns in 2014 and 2015, and finished 2016 with three.
After the disappointing playoff loss in 2016, where he scored a touchdown, Holmes signed with the Buffalo Bills moving on to the next stage in his career. Although he is not the most decorated or eye-catching receiver the Raiders have had, Holmes was one of the best story-lines to follow.
He earns this spot for being a pivotal piece for the team as they began to climb back into relevance for the first time since their Super Bowl defeat in 2003.
