Raiders: Predicting Week 1 starters at offensive skill positions

Raiders: Predicting Week 1 starters at offensive skill positions

• Wide Receivers: Henry Ruggs III (Z), Bryan Edwards (X), Hunter Renfrow (Slot)

• Tight Ends: Darren Waller and Jason Witten

Henry Ruggs III will be the team’s Z this season, as he goes into his rookie year as the team’s WR1, and will be looking to challenge Amari Cooper’s rookie records. Hunter Renfrow proved to be automatic in the slot last season, and has looked outstanding this summer during camp, so he will be back in that role as a starter in 2020.

Another 2020 rookie, Bryan Edwards actually was with the starters on Wednesday, and as we get closer to Week 1, I believe the coaching staff is going to go with two rookies starting at wide receiver. That would be against anything we have seen from Gruden in his coaching career, but the tandem of Edwards and Ruggs may be too good for him not to.

Williams is still going to play a big role in this offense, and will be a guy who is put in position to make big plays in 2020. The fact that he could be relegated to being a backup after being the team’s WR1 last year is a reflection on how good a job Mayock did turning this position from a weakness to a strength this offseason.

At tight end, Darren Waller will obviously be the starter, and we should see a lot of Jason Witten, especially in the red zone. Foster Moreau is also going to have his fair share of opportunities after proving to be a solid red zone guy as a rookie, giving the Raiders one of the deeper tight end groups in football.

One thing is for sure, the Raiders have more depth at the skill positions than they have had in years, and Carr will have no shortage of weapons in the passing game, or on the ground. With his entire starting offensive line returning as well, this offense should be able to hang points on any defense they face, and it will be up to Carr to steer this ship in the right direction.