AFC West positional rankings: Wide receivers

4. Las Vegas Raiders

Projected WRs: Hunter Renfrow, Henry Ruggs III, Bryan Edwards, John Brown, Zay Jones, Willie Snead IV

Far and away, the Raiders have the least talented group of wide receivers in the AFC West. While the team touts head coach Jon Gruden as an amazing offensive mind, one can’t help but question the roster-building process between Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock. Renfrow would be a solid number two guy and Ruggs would make an excellent slot guy. Unfortunately for Las Vegas, those are the two most talented wide receivers on the roster.

Renfrow is loved by the Raiders fan base. Many believe him to be a top-tier route runner. That being said, Renfrow has never caught more than 60 passes in a season at this point in his career. He simply does not possess the skill set to be a number one receiver in an NFL offense. He is, however, the Raiders’ top guy at the moment.

Huge expectations were set for Ruggs last season when Mayock spent the 12th overall pick on him in the hopes that he would take on a Steve Smith or Tyreek Hill role. He finished with a disappointing stat line in 2020 with a mere 26 receptions and 2 touchdowns. The Raiders hope that he takes a big step forward in year two.

Gruden and company are high on a number of other guys. John Brown, Zay Jones, and Willie Snead IV are some of the guys that Gruden has brought in the hopes of fielding a legitimate passing attack. Jones was brought in a couple of years ago from Buffalo and has had somewhat of a comeback, but has never made any major impact on the offense. Additionally, Snead and Brown add an element of speed to the receiving group, but neither has really moved the needle to date in their NFL careers.

Without Darren Waller at tight end, this would be one of the worst offensive arsenals in the NFL. If the Raiders are hoping to have playoff success, they will need to make a move to get some legitimate offensive weapons in the near future.