The Las Vegas Raiders are 1-2, and there’s plenty of speculation over Davante Adams’ future. Nonetheless, one of the bright spots is Jakobi Meyers. So, how exactly has the 26-year-old performed through two matches?
Meyers is turning into a No. 2 wide receiver and a quality running mate for Adams. If the Silver and Black want to turn themselves into a playoff team, they’ll need to rely on their passing game.
Furthermore, the North Carolina St.’s rise raises some questions about what exactly the New England Patriots were thinking about allowing the player to leave as a free agent.
Have the Raiders found a gem in Jakobi Meyers?
Entering his first season in Las Vegas, Meyers has never had a 1,000-receiving yard campaign and only registered six touchdowns. Can this be the year the former Patriots wideout sets a career-high in either of those categories?
Meyers has 16 receptions on 22 targets with two touchdowns in two games. Furthermore, he has developed a connection with current starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. However, with “Jimmy G” now dealing with a concussion, perhaps that becomes a minor hurdle.
Furthermore, with his production through his first two games, Meyers has risen to be the No. 2 target that benefits from the attention that Adams draws from the opposition. Meyers (36%) is right behind Adams (38%) in the NFL Target per Route Run Rate, with only Tyreek Hill (43%) being the only wide receiver ahead of both Raiders receivers.
Las Vegas’ emerging No. 2 receiver signed a three-year contract worth $33 million, and so far, the franchise is getting their money’s worth from him. Now the question is, what do Raiders think of Meyers? Is he matching or even exceeding your expectations in Year 1? Let us know.
Are the Patriots missing Jakobi Meyers?
New England decided this past offseason to allow Meyers to walk as a free agent. Additionally, the Patriots decided to replace him with JuJu Smith-Schuster, who hasn’t produced at Meyers’ level through three games this season.
As a result, there’s head-scratching as to why the Patriots made the decision. Through three games, Smith-Schuster has 10 receptions for 66 receiving yards and zero touchdowns. Meyers has vastly outproduced his replacement in New England, and the Raiders receiver even missed one game due to a concussion.
It’s early, but the Patriots could be having second thoughts right now. Meanwhile, one of the bright spots for Las Vegas this season is the leap that Meyers is beginning to take. The question now is: can he continue this upward trajectory?
*Top Photo: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images