#8 Kenyan Drake was a brilliant addition to The Las Vegas Raiders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mucayQP6ss
Kenyan Drake was signed to the Las Vegas Raiders to help their running game and passing game. Of course, injuries and being double-teamed at times thwarted his efforts, but he was still able to put up some impressive numbers. It almost makes you wonder what would have happened if the Raiders had used him more? Looking at his stats, Drake played in 12 games, racking up 291 yards off of 30 receptions. He also scored a touchdown for the Raiders.
#7 Desean Jackson proved he still has it in 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd7jZAKlBj4
Sometimes it s the veterans who end up surprising you during the NFL season. This year it was Desean Jackson, who came to the Las Vegas Raiders following the Henry Ruggs DUI incident, and he was a pretty decent substitute. Now that doesn t mean he was able to reach the numbers that Ruggs probably would have, but the case could be made that Jackson was pulling his weight with the team.
While his time with Las Vegas was brief, he racked up 12 receptions for 252 yards and one touchdown. He was also a huge relief to Derek Carr, who was dealing with the aforementioned loss of Ruggs and an injury to a few of his other receivers. Again, Jackson might have gone to the Rams, but his time with the Raiders was definitely impactful.
#6 Joshua Jacobs transitiong well as a wide reciever for Las Vegas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSQZe9-yxUo
Josh Jacobs might have been drafted to the Las Vegas Raiders as a running back, but he has transitioned into the wide receiver role quite well! In fact, in 2021, he caught 54 of the 64 passes that came his way, collecting 348 receiving yards, 391 yards after the catch, and only five drops. His speed could make him even better in 2022 with the right playcalling. He has proven to be reliable, can make great moves after the catch, and has a lot of potential if they feed him the ball.
#5 Foster Moreau proved very reliable for the Raiders in 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqJU6s4wfeI
If you look up the definition of reliability, you might see a picture of Foster Moreau. Moreau had 30 receptions on 44 targets and only four drops in 2021. He also played in every game during the 2021 season and started in 11.
#4 Zay Zones was a very valuable assist for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvmTkVA5eGM
Do you remember Zay Jones? For those who don t, he was the Las Vegas Raiders player who caught a touchdown in the back of the endzone to give the team a victory in overtime. The victory was over none other than the Baltimore Ravens, no less. Now, one moment doesn t define a wide receiver, and that s why his stat line is the most important thing to look at in determining his worth.
Jones was targeted 70 times and managed to haul 46 of those in, giving him a 67.1 completion percentage. He actually ended up becoming a team favorite as the season went on. Going back to the stat sheet, he racked up a total of 546 yards, 170 yards after the catch, and a total of 32 yards per game. While he only had one touchdown, it was arguably one of the biggest of the entire year.
#3 Darren Waller was a very effective weapon in Las Vegas during the 2021 season
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqFoKMLLQVU
What can be said about Darren Waller that hasn t already been talked about endlessly by *insert sports pundit here*? Waller caught 55 throws for 665 yards for Las Vegas in 2022, giving him a 59.6 catching percentage. He also recorded a grand total of 242 yards after the catch and two touchdowns to go along with it. Like many on this list, he is someone who the Las Vegas Raiders hope gets more action in 2022, but who knows what will happen?
#2 Bryan Edwards could be very valuable to the Raiders as time goes on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IEsdf7hDC4
Want a big catch? Bryan Edwards is definitely the man that can get it done for the Las Vegas Raiders. Not only is that evident by his 16.8 yards per reception, but also due to his three touchdowns and only one drop! The man also recorded 103 yards after the catch, making him someone who could make the most out of a short pass. Hopefully, those numbers will steadily improve in 2022. He could be someone the team relies on heavily in the future.
#1 Hunter Renfrow is the next big thing in Las Vegas
You can t deny Hunter Renfrow. He’s the bread and butter of the Las Vegas Raiders offense. The man literally only had two drops in 2021 and essentially carried the load for the rest of the team. He finished the season with 103 receptions, for 1038 and a catching percentage of 80.5. He also had 453 yards after the catch last season and a total of nine touchdowns.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, being their biggest weapon comes at a price and that usually consists of him getting double-teamed on the field. That leaves him open less often and forces Carr to throw other options. While Las Vegas does have very good depth at the wide receiver position, no one can put up numbers like Renfrow. Luckily for the receiver, new Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels is known to utilize slot receivers in his offense, meaning Renfrow could end up doubling his numbers in 2022!
