As a result of several consecutive losing records and by a few strokes of good fortune, the Las Vegas Raiders have assembled a pretty strong young offensive core. In sequential drafts, the Silver and Black landed Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty and Fernando Mendoza, a more than quality trio.
Bowers is undoubtedly one of the NFL's best when healthy, Jeanty is poised for a breakout campaign under new head coach Klint Kubiak, and Mendoza will eventually be a great quarterback, even if he's tumbled a bit out of the gates and has some learning to do.
Las Vegas has a young three-headed monster, but they are notably missing a stout wide receiver to round out the unit. This has been a point of contention all offseason within Raider Nation, and it is no surprise to see that reality holding them back in the latest NFL skill position group rankings.
Las Vegas Raiders' lack of proven WR tanked them in latest NFL skill position rankings
ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently ranked all 32 NFL teams based on their wide receivers, running backs and tight ends collectively. He noted that this only has to do with their projected production in 2026, that injuries matter, and that wideouts are weighted more heavily than running backs or tight ends.
It was no surprise, then, that the Raiders came in at No. 26. This is despite having Bowers, arguably the league's best tight end, and Jeanty, an undoubtedly tremendous young running back who is still firmly on the rise. Clearly, the lack of wide receiver production is holding them back here.
"There are two exciting young players here, although neither had great 2025 seasons. Tight end Brock Bowers was limited and then sidelined by a knee issue, but we still saw glimpses of the player who terrorized the league as a rookie. And running back Ashton Jeanty failed to live up to expectations after coming into the league as a top-10 pick. There's no question that Jeanty was let down by a dismal offensive infrastructure, but he also struggled to run through NFL tackles in short-yardage situations and made some unforced mistakes. I'm still optimistic we'll see something close to the Boise State version of Jeanty in 2026, but it's also fair to be a little nervous.
"Even if Bowers and Jeanty live up to expectations, though, there's just not much to be excited about at wide receiver. Jalen Nailor has been solid as a third option for the Vikings, but he's stretched into a starting role here. Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. did little in their debut seasons, with the latter averaging a scarcely believable 0.6 yards per route run. Tre Tucker's a solid deep option and could play the Rashid Shaheed role in Klint Kubiak's offense, but if the WRs produce at all, the most likely reasons would expect to be products of the scheme and better quarterback play."
As Barnwell mentioned, the Raiders' wide receiver room is a significant question mark. He does seem to make light of Tucker's impact and repertoire, as simplifying his role to being a mere deep threat is a common but untrue narrative surrounding the ever-improving player.
Nailor should also be poised for a bigger role now that he is out of the shadow of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and his game should really take off once Mendoza enters the lineup. Nailor's skill set is a perfect match with what Mendoza does well, so the two should have a nice rapport.
Bech, Thornton Jr. and Malik Benson are still unknowns, so it is understandable that Barnwell won't give them much credit. These young players will have to prove on the field that they are worth recognition before ever getting any from the national media.
Again, the Raiders' offense should still fare quite well with either Mendoza or Kirk Cousins under center, Bowers and Jeanty as the two focal points for touches, and Kubiak pulling all the strings from the play-calling post. But this group's ceiling may be limited until a receiver steps up.
Ideally, that player is already on the roster, and the new coaching staff or a better overall offensive situation can help him reveal himself. But if not, Las Vegas should be in the market for a top-flight wideout next offseason to put a bow on their young set of skill position players.
Just imagine the Raiders landing the top tight end, top running back, top quarterback and top wide receiver in the class in four consecutive drafts. That would be the kind of young foundation that Las Vegas has dreamed of, and it would be the kind to finally get them some respect and results.
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