In 2019, the Raiders had arguably the worst fantasy football wide receiver group in the NFL, but that will not be the case in 2020.
The Las Vegas Raiders revamped their wide receiver group this offseason, spending multiple draft picks on the position, as well as spending in free agency. In 2019, the Raiders top fantasy football receiver was Tyrell Williams, who ranked 40th in the league, and te second best on the Raiders was Hunter Renfrow, who ranked 63rd.
Incredibly, despite this, Derek Carr was able to set a career-high in passing yards, while completing 70 percent of his passes. In 2020, he will have more than enough weapons to choose from at the position group, including a first round pick who is not only a blazer, but also can run the entire route tree.
Henry Ruggs III a breakout fantasy WR candidate
The biggest addition the Raiders made to the group was first round draft pick Henry Ruggs III, who was a touchdown machine during his time at Alabama. Ruggs should be the best receiver for the Raiders in terms of fantasy football, and in the actual game. He will no doubt have a big part in Gruden’s offense, and in a PPR league, Ruggs will likely thrive.
Outside of PPR, Ruggs should still be a great pick due to his yards after catch ability, as well as being a big play threat, but with the Raiders “small ball” offense, Ruggs will be best in PPR.
With Ruggs taking a lot of opposing defenses attention, a healthy Tyrell Williams should be able to have a great season as the Raiders WR2. Before Williams injury, Williams was a solid fantasy football starter, hauling in touchdowns on a weekly basis to start the season.
The best of the rest
Hunter Renfrow should also have a better season in 2020, especially if healthy. Renfrow played great in his last few games of the season, racking up back-to-back 100-yard games to close out his rookie campaign, and could become a viable option in fantasy football this season.
The Raiders also added rookies Lynn Bowden Jr and Bryan Edwardsin the 2020 NFL Draft, and while they could have an impact on a weekly basis, neither of these players will be options to start in your lineup right away. Bowden Jr has the potential to become a flex player, especially if your fantasy team has injuries, or you need a player to plug in on a bye week, as he can make plays happen in the run, and passing game.
Overall, the Raiders wide receiver group actually has some solid, but not great options for fantasy football. Ruggs has the potential to be the best rookie receiver in the league, Williams could be a consistent fantasy football starter, and Renfrow could become a top-50 fantasy receiver, due to his ability to make catches in tough spaces.