Las Vegas Raiders: What can Hunter Renfrow do for an encore?
By Brad Weiss
Raiders star WR Hunter Renfrow had a breakout season during the 2021 campaign, but what can he do for an encore with Davante Adams in the fold?
During the 2021 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders had more than their fair share of issues at the wide receiver position. Henry Ruggs III got out to a fast start in Year 2, but his career came to an end in a fatal Las Vegas crash, and the Silver and Black had to scramble to figure things out after that.
They made some moves, including bringing in DeSean Jackson, but in the end, it was a former fifth-round pick that proved to be the WR1 the team was lacking. Hunter Renfrow stepped into the spotlight and took the NFL by storm, becoming not only the best wide receiver on the Raiders roster but one of the best in the league.
All told, Renfrow was targeted 128 times, caught 103 balls, and racked up 1,038 yards. He caught nine touchdown passes, three more than his first two seasons combined, and now, entering the 2022 season, he is regarded as arguably the best slot receiver in the NFL.
In 2022, what can Renfrow do for an encore?
Raiders will be dangerous on offense
Looking at the depth chart going into the 2022 season, one name stands above the rest, and that is former Green Bay Packers star, Davante Adams. The best friend of Derek Carr thanks to their college days at Fresno State, Adams is the unquestioned leader of the position group and should have a monster year in 2022.
Also, Las Vegas has one of the best tight ends in the NFL in Darren Waller, who will be healthy in 2022, and should go back to terrorizing defenses every week. All told, this three-headed monster will be one of the elites in the game, clearing the way for a career year for Carr under center.
For Renfrow, he may not be targeted 130 times like he was last year, as some of that was out of necessity, but he still should have the same impact on the game plan. He is a player that teams are going to have to scheme around, and thanks to the talent around him, he could once again approach the 100-catch mark.
The great thing about Renfrow is that he is unselfish, so a diminished number in terms of targets is not going to affect how he attacks the game. In fact, the arrival of Adams, and a healthy Waller will make his life a lot easier, and while the numbers may not be as gaudy as 2021, he will still be one of the best in the game at the position.