Raiders: Ranking the top-5 wide receivers in the 2022 AFC West
Over the last several seasons, Juju Smith-Schuster has seen his reputation take a hit. At this point, many know him for his litany of pregame TikTok’s more than his actual on-field performance. In 2021, his health was a major issue when he suffered a shoulder injury that caused him to miss all but five games. When on the field over the last several seasons, he has also had to deal with Ben Roethlisberger’s depreciating skillset
Despite this, he is still a talented player. At one point, he was widely considered one of the league’s best wide receivers following a 2018 season where he recorded 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns.
While he is not a truly dominant number one wide receiver, he is a valuable player for his ability to align all over the field and create mismatches through his size and athletic ability. As one of the best “big slots” in the league, he gives Mahomes and the Chiefs a weapon that they have not had in some time.
In no way is he going to replace the production or impact that Tyreek Hill gave this offense, but he can give them a possession-style receiver that they have not had in some time. Furthermore, there is no telling how high his level of play will be raised as he goes from whatever remained of Roethlisberger to Patrick Mahomes.