The more you look at the list of wide receivers the Raiders will be facing this season, the scarier it gets. I noted earlier that they face every one of the receivers who surpasses 1,200 yards last season. But once I actually ranked the league’s wideouts, the news got worse. They face 11 of the top 12 receivers in the league. The only one they don’t face is DeAndre Hopkins (third). As for the others, buckle up.
1. Michael Thomas, Saints (1)
The former second-round pick has never had a season below 1,100 yards. Every season of his career he has improved his numbers, culminating in an incredible 149 catches for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns last season. He comes to town for the Raiders home openers Week 2
2. Julio Jones, Falcons (2)
Six straight Pro Bowls don’t lie. Jones has averaged 1564 yards in each of those seasons. Last season was the first time in those six years he even dipped below 1,400 yards which is flat out ridiculous. He’s been the standard-bearer in the NFL for a while now. The Raiders travel to Atlanta in Week 12.
3. Tyreek Hill, Chiefs (4)
Hill was an All-Pro in 2018, and a season in which he missed four games and had to share time with a loaded receiving corps isn’t going to change that. He’s still the most lethal weapon in the NFL at the receiver position. Gruden drafted Henry Ruggs III to try and duplicate with the Raiders what Hill does for the Chiefs
4. Keenan Allen, Chargers (5)
Two injury plagues seasons gave way to three-straight Pro Bowl seasons for Allen. He has averaged over 100 catches and 1,250 yards and six touchdowns in each of the past three seasons. He is production personified.
5. Mike Evans, Buccaneers (6)
The 6-5, 231-pounder has been the ultimate jump ball, 50/50 ball winner, for six seasons. He’s twice reached 12 touchdowns and the past two seasons he has averaged 17.5 yards per catch.
6. Odell Beckham Jr, Browns (7)
Beckham seems to make the news more for his off-the-field antics of late, but he’s still one of the biggest threats in the NFL from the receiver position. His numbers took a hit in his first season in Cleveland, but even his worst season still saw him surpass 1,000 yards.
7. Chris Godwin, Buccaneers (8)
Godwin could be a big part of the NFL’s next wave. His 1,333 yards was third in the NFL last season and his nine touchdowns were tied for fourth. He and Mike Evans come to Las Vegas in Week 7. The Raiders will have the bye week to prepare, but not sure it will matter.
8. Jarvis Landry, Browns (9)
The lats Pro Bowl team that didn’t have Landry was 2014, which was his rookie year. Good luck keeping him from getting to the ball. And last season he had career bests in yards (1,174), yards per catch (14.1) and yards per game (73.4). He and Odell Beckham Jr await the Raiders in Cleveland in Week 8
9. TY Hilton, Colts (10)
Over the first seven years of his career, with Andrew Luck at QB, Hilton was routinely among the league leaders at quarterback. He averaged 1,156 yards per season. He will have Philip Rivers at quarterback this season, who even with declining skills, still puts up big numbers and Hilton will be the beneficiary of that and should return to form. They come to Las Vegas in Week 14.
10. DeVante Parker, Dolphins (11)
The former first-round pick exploded last season, catching 72 passes for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns. New quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will enjoy having Parker as a receiver and the two should have their chemistry down by the time they face the Raiders in Week 16.
11. DJ Moore, Panthers
12. Stefon Diggs, Bills
13. Courtland Sutton, Broncos
14. John Brown, Bills
15. Mike Williams, Chargers
16. Calvin Ridley, Falcons
17. Julian Edelman, Patriots
18. Emmanuel Sanders, Saints
19. Jerry Jeudy, Broncos
20. Breshad Perriman, Jets
21. Robby Anderson, Panthers
22. Jamison Crowder, Jets
23. Cole Beasley, Bills
24. Sammy Watkins, Chiefs
25. Curtis Samuel, Panthers
26. Mecole Hardman, Chiefs
27. Michael Pittman Jr, Colts
28. N’Keal Harry, Patriots
29. Albert Wilson Dolphins
