The receiving room for the Las Vegas Raiders is going to look quite different in 2022. This group had quite the overhaul, with only a few guys left standing from last year to this year. Quarterback Derek Carr should have one of his best years at the helm with the plethora of solid pass catchers available to him now. This group could be one of the best in the game, but where does each player rank individually amongst his teammates?
Ranking the Las Vegas Raiders’ WR room
No. 1 – Davante Adams
In basketball terms, this would absolutely be considered a lay-up shot. Adams is considered one of the best wide receivers in the game right now. You also don’t give up a first and a second-round pick and pay a guy $141 million over five years if you don’t believe that sentiment to be true. The former second round pick is not only the best receiver on this team currently, but possibly the best talent they’ve had in that room since Jerry Rice in 2004.
The former college duo of Carr and Adams will be fun for fans to marvel at this year. While this is obviously not college anymore, the chemistry is still there. The tandem reportedly worked out every offseason together until the move to Vegas in 2020. They’ve remained good friends since the days of representing Fresno State, which means they should have no issue finding chemistry on the field and finding it quickly.
Adams’ on-the-field achievements are nothing to ignore either. Since entering the league in 2014, he has amassed over 8,000 receiving yards and 73 touchdowns, good for sixth and second best, respectively, in the league throughout that time, according to Stat Muse. Adams will add a dynamic to this offense that Raiders fans have yet to truly witness. It should be fun to watch what head coach Josh McDaniels and company cook up this season for this elite talent.
No. 2 – Hunter Renfrow
Another lay-up in all honesty. Adams is going to steal the spotlight, and rightfully so, but perhaps that’s the way Renfrow wants it. Last year, the former Clemson product had his best season yet, amassing 1,000 yards receiving and nine touchdowns on an eighty percent catch rate. Unfortunately, there is no metric to keep track of how many defenders he made look silly with his route running prowess. Oh, he also had two tackles, one of which will forever be on highlight reels.Â
Despite all of that, though, his name was often left out of “best receiver in the game” conversations. In complete and total fairness, it was just one season, and he’ll have to put up something similar this year to earn his spot in those debates. It’s more plausible than many people would think. No doubt about it, Adams is going to get the lion’s share of passes, but where Renfrow thrives is in one-on-one situations.
The former fifth round pick is a difficult assignment for any corner to take up. He runs routes in a very unpredictable manner, which makes him nearly impossible to get a read on. This is a good thing. If you can’t beat them with speed, just confuse them with shenanigans, or whatever W.C. Fields said. With Adams potentially drawing double teams weekly, Renfrow will have plenty of opportunities to dazzle his opponents with his unique route running skills.
No. 3 – Keelan Cole
This selection was not quite as simple as the previous two. This would have been Bryan Edwards’ spot to lose, but he is currently employed by the Atlanta Falcons. Cole gets the nod here as he provides the deep threat this offense might need to take pressure off of guys like Adams, Renfrow, and Darren Waller.
Cole is a former undrafted wide receiver out of Kentucky Wesleyan. He was in Jacksonville for four years and was with the New York Jets last year. That being said, it could be argued Cole is a slight victim of circumstance, as the quarterback situation for those teams is not necessarily regarded around the league. However, despite all that, he’s managed to put up over 2,500 yards and score 13 touchdowns in five seasons.
One stat that jumps out is yards per reception. According to Pro Football Reference, Cole has a career average of 14.8 yards per reception. For reference, Tyreek Hill sits at 13.8 and Adams is at 12.1. Now, while the total receptions between Cole and the other two mentioned are vastly different, it’s still a relevant point as it shows that he can be that guy to help you move the chains on a third and long.
Another stat pointing to this is Cole’s average depth per target, sitting at 13.5. This is to say that he’s averaging being about 13 yards away from the line of scrimmage each time his number is called. While the rest of the receiving room will be fighting for third place, Cole might have a leg up on the rest of the competition right now.
Where do the rest of the group lie?
No. 4 – Demarcus Robinson
No. 5 – Mack Hollins
No. 6 – Tyron Johnson
No. 7 – Dillon Stoner
No. 8 – DJ Turner
No. 9 – Jordan Veasy
No. 10 – Justin Hall
Could the Raiders finally have a solid receiving corps?
The one-two punch alone for the Raiders is going to be hard to ignore. Add in a top three tight end in Waller and you could be looking at one of the best passing games in the league. One of the biggest issues, however, is going to be depth at this position. While you never plan for injuries, they do happen, and it begs the question, if Adams is not available, who’s the go-to guy?
While it’s easy to assume that’d be Renfrow, the question just continues to shift down the line. As it currently sits, the Raiders have a solid mix of veteran talent, speed, and shiftiness to make defensive backs stay up at night.
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*Top Photo: Daniel Bates/The Spun