Just as the Las Vegas Raiders improved over the offseason, so did the AFC West division as a whole. Here are the breakout players from each rival that the Raiders must focus on.
The Las Vegas Raiders arguably exceeded expectations last season, finishing with a 7-9 record and at one moment were in contention to take the AFC West division. The Raiders accomplished all this while losing their top receiver before Week 1, going five straight weeks on the road, and facing a revolving door of players at receiver.
After the offseason moves, Las Vegas clearly improved their roster from 2019.
And yet, that sentiment is not mutual with other football analysts. Back on May 26, ESPN released their Football Power Index, and Las Vegas landed at No. 23 overall. Upon further review, that places the Raiders dead last in the AFC West, behind their three rivals. The ranking may be subjective in some eyes, but it is wise to acknowledge that the other three AFC West teams also made upgrades in the offseason.
The Kansas City Chiefs being the defending champions is spoken for, but the Raiders are wise to not write off the Denver Broncos or Los Angeles Chargers as well. As they will face each team twice this season, here is one potential breakout player from each foe that Las Vegas must keep an eye on.