CBS Sports Senior Writer Pete Prisco released his annual top 100 players in the NFL list. Omitted from that list is Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. However, several other members of the Silver and Black cracked the list.
It’s June, so you’re going to start seeing a lot of lists from media outlets showing who they think are the league’s best players. As far as Prisco goes, his list is curious in one sense. For example, he had Carr listed as one of his honorable mentions but had Deshaun Watson ranked at No. 83 despite the fact that he hasn’t played in two years. Another exception is Hunter Renfrow. Despite being one of, if not the best, slot receivers in the game, he was also omitted. Understandably, it’s difficult to rank the entire league when you include both offense and defense.
How did the Las Vegas Raiders do in Prisco’s rankings?
No. 11 Raiders WR Davante Adams
No one on the Raiders made the top 10, but the team’s newest wide receiver did make it in at 11. Arguably the best pass catcher in the league, expectations are sky-high for Adams and Carr. The former collegiate teammates already have an established relationship, so it’ll be exciting to see how that comes together at the NFL level.
“He is coming off a career year in catches and yards. But now he will be playing with Derek Carr, rather than Aaron Rodgers. It will be interesting to see how that impacts his numbers.”
As Prisco points out, Adams is indeed coming off a career year, albeit with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. On the other hand, Adams is joining a talented offense with the likes of Renfrow and Darren Waller. Whether he dominates the field or helps to open it up for his teammates, Adams’ impact will be significant, and he’s more than worthy of his ranking.
No. 33 Raiders DE Maxx Crosby
The Raiders’ star pass rusher cashed in this offseason and will be in Silver and Black for the foreseeable future. Simply put, Crosby knows how to get after the quarterback, and now that Chandler Jones is opposite him, his sack totals should rise. Crosby has accumulated 74 pressures over the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Reference. It’s more than plausible that Raiders fans can expect to see that number increase this season.
“He is coming off his best season, even if his eight sacks were one fewer than his career-best. He was a force for the Raiders defense last season, excelling against the run and with his pass-rush ability. The sack numbers don’t do him justice, as he was near the tops in the league in pressures.”
As Prisco pointed out as well, Crosby is also clutch against the run. Last season, he had a solid Pro Football Focus run defense grade of 76.7 based on 327 snaps. Depending on what happens in 2022, Crosby has a chance to crack the top 25 of this and many other lists.
No. 55 Raiders TE Darren Waller
Waller missed significant time last season, but when he was on the field, his impact was undeniable. One of the best things to come out of the Jon Gruden era was Waller. Waller, a former Baltimore Ravens practice squad player, is now among the top NFL tight ends.
“He was limited to 11 games last season because of injury, which is why his catch numbers fell from 107 to 55. But when he is healthy, he is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the game.”
New Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels has an astounding track record when it comes to the tight end position. While Carr and Renfrow will benefit greatly from McDaniels’ system, it might end up being Waller who sees the biggest jump in production. Of course, he has to stay healthy to do so. As far as stretching the field, Waller had one of his better seasons as he averaged 12.1 yards per reception and managed 242 yards after the catch. The potential to have another 1,000-yard receiving season is there, barring injury.
No. 58 Raiders DE Chandler Jones
While Adams got most of the headlines this offseason for the Raiders, Jones will have just as big an impact on defense. Prior to landing Adams, Jones had been the Raiders’ biggest offseason acquisition up to that point. The two-time All-Pro brings remarkable pass-rushing ability with him. Jones has 107.5 career sacks, so it should go without saying that the Silver and Black got a good one.
“He had 10.5 sacks for the Cardinals last year, but five of those came in Week 1. In every season that he’s played 15 or more games, he’s had double-digits in sacks. The Raiders hope he can team with Maxx Crosby to bring those same type of numbers after signing as a free agent.”
Other than the 2020 campaign, Jones has shown to be reliable, and as Prisco pointed out, when he plays more than 15 games, he’ll post double-digit sacks. Unlike Yannick Ngakoue, the player Jones is replacing, he isn’t a liability in the run game, so that’s a much-needed improvement.
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*Top Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
