Las Vegas Raiders at Carolina Panthers: 3 things to watch in Week 1

Las Vegas Raiders at Carolina Panthers: 3 things to watch in Week 1

Rookie receiver debuts

“The future is now,” and there is no better example than the Raiders’ rookie receiving duo making their starting debuts on Sunday. The injury that sent Tyrell Williams to injured reserve opened the door for Bryan Edwards to make his impact sooner rather than later. Given that Edwards has already impressed his fellow teammates, and now he’ll get to display his talents starting in Week 1.

The same goes for Henry Ruggs III, whose speed that warranted his first-round selection is already drawing excitement from others in camp. Now, the expectation is that his speed will be utilized on Sunday at the expense of Carolina’s cornerbacks.

The Panthers scoring defense ranked 31st in the league last season, highlighting a lack of stealing possessions away from their opponents. Las Vegas’ new-look offense taking advantage of this will lean heavily on a strong debut for the Raiders’ rookie receivers. Starting Ruggs and Edwards immediately in Week 1 puts plenty of trust in the young duo, but they should be more than up to the challenge.