Ranking the best Raiders receiving seasons of the 21st Century

#8 Amari Cooper (2016)

83 catches/1,153 yards/5 touchdowns (Pro Bowl)

Amari Cooper should be remembered by Raiders fans as the first good receiver in nearly a decade at the time of his drafting. I know it is easier to blame him for his departure and feel like he quit on the team, but this guy was drafted into a dumpster fire and he gave the team hope.

In 2015, he recorded the first 1,000-yard season since Randy Moss in 2005, and only the second total since 2002. Before him, our team was led in receiving yards by the likes of Rod Streater, Andre Holmes, and Darrius Heyward-Bey. I know the Raiders' quarterbacks were not optimal in that time, but it's not like they were getting much help.

During his 2016 campaign, Cooper was the team’s leader in receiving yards and a focal point for a Raiders team that made its first playoff appearance since 2002. He contributed four 100+ yard performances and over a four-game stretch during the middle of the season, he averaged 8.0 catches for 117.3 yards and 0.5 touchdowns per game. Cooper and his counterpart Michael Crabtree turned out to be exactly what young quarterback Derek Carr needed and this season will always be memorable because of this special offense.