Ranking the 2021 AFC West WRs: Where the Las Vegas Raiders rank
Ranking the 2021 AFC West WRs: Where the Las Vegas Raiders rank
3. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of unanswered questions at the receiver position but they have a deep group with a nice mix of proven veterans and talented youngsters. Starting with the old guys, John Brown has had a few seasons as a team’s number one receiver and was still a very effective player with Buffalo last season when healthy.
Brown had just 458 yards last year in nine games, but came on strong in the final week of the season and was a big factor in the playoff victory over the Baltimore Ravens. He is a proven player that has succeeded on multiple teams and should fit in nicely in Las Vegas.
Willie Snead is another veteran player with a track record of moderate success as a second or third option and could be a factor if he makes the final roster. Zay Jones is the fifth or sixth receiver and he could be a third option on most NFL teams so he provides some nice depth as well.
Somewhere between the old dudes and the newbies is slot receiver Hunter Renfrow, who has become a reliable target for Derek Carr, and is a great weapon in the slot. He won’t blow you away with his raw numbers but 32 of his 56 receptions were for first downs and more than half his yards came after the catch.
Give the ball to Renfrow in space and he can make things happen with his quickness.
Rounding out the group are two young players in Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards who came in as highly touted rookies but struggled with injuries and COVID issues throughout the season. They now have the benefit of a full offseason and will look to bounce back in a big way in their sophomore campaigns.
From top to bottom this is a well-rounded group that can hurt you in multiple ways and gives Derek Carr and Jon Gruden lots of weapons to play with. The group doesn’t feature one player that is better on paper than Courtland Sutton but as a unit, they are certainly deeper and more talented than the Denver group.