Top 10 Las Vegas Raiders Players Going Into the 2022-23 Season

Davante Adams is arguably the best receiver in the NFL. His five consecutive Pro Bowls and back-to-back First Team All-Pro selections justify that claim. In 2021, Adams had over 120 receptions for over 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was Aaron Rodgers' favorite go-to guy and will be the same for Derek Carr.

It's the first time Carr has had a true #1 wide receiver since college. Adams and Carr were teammates in college, so they already have a connection. This was one of the biggest trades in the NFL off-season, putting the Raiders back on the map.

The best part of this trade is that it gives Derek Carr options and an explosive offense, forcing defenses to think about who to double-cover. You have a three-headed monster in Davante Adams, Darren Waller, and Hunter Renfrow to deal with. You pretty much have to pick your poison and hope for the best.

Crosby has really emerged as the team's top edge rusher. Pair him with Chandler Jones, and you've got a deadly duo right there. This is one of those cases where the stats don't tell the whole story. He only had eight sacks and 58 tackles, but he still made his presence known to any opposing quarterback.

He is a disruptive force that can get to the quarterback and blow up plays. And he's only going to improve going forward, especially with Chandler Jones alongside him. Arguably the best edge-rushing duo in football.

Darren Waller missed some time in 2021, so his stats are lower across the board and a bit disappointing. But when he's healthy, there's no doubt that he's a top-five tight end in football. His size, speed, and route-running abilities check all the right boxes.

There's a reason why he's been a go-to weapon for Derek Carr. If he stays healthy, he should have a bounce-back 2022 season and put up numbers a lot like his 2020 stat line. I expect big things in 2022, especially since he's not the only elite weapon for Carr.

Chandler Jones is one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. I think any Raider fan would gladly take him over Yannick Ngakoue. He's had 10+ sacks in seven of the last nine seasons and has 33 forced fumbles, which is the 11th most all-time.

2021 was a better year than 2020, obviously. If he can put up 2019-like numbers again, then watch out, AFC West. He's an incredible run-stopper and truly amazing as an edge rusher. I personally hate that he's in the division and we have to play against him now.

Just his presence alone makes the Raiders' pass rush a formidable unit. The AFC West is truly bonkers in 2022.

Derek Carr is one of those love-or-hate players. He's generally considered a middle-of-the-pack, play-it-safe quarterback who never takes risky throws. But he was a major factor in the Raiders making the playoffs last year and definitely earned more respect.

Imagine having to navigate your normal schedule on top of a mid-season coaching change due to Gruden's emails being exposed and your top receiver, Henry Ruggs, throwing his career away because of a tragic reckless driving accident. It was a lot to handle, and yet he persevered against all odds.

Looking at his stats, he's been fairly consistent with 4,000 yards in four consecutive seasons and 20+ touchdowns in each of the last three seasons. I expect those numbers to increase with the addition of arguably the best wide receiver in the league, Davante Adams.

Hunter Renfrow has to be one of the more under-the-radar receivers in the NFL. He was finally rewarded with a Pro Bowl for his efforts in 2021 with over 100 receptions, over 1,000 yards, and nine touchdowns. He will be overshadowed by Davante Adams, but he's one of those sneaky guys defensive coordinators can't forget about.

He has excellent football IQ, great route-running abilities, and good hands. At one point last year, he had to step up and be the guy when Ruggs was released by the team and DeSean Jackson was a shell of his former self.

I expect a lot of great things from Hunter Renfrow. He will be a solid WR2 behind Davante Adams. Don't sleep on him if you're an opposing defensive coordinator.

The Raiders' O-line is one of their biggest weaknesses and will determine how successful the offense can be. Kolton Miller has at least developed, and he's serviceable enough, which makes him the best on an otherwise pretty bad O-line. He's steady at his position, doesn't miss time, and is rarely penalized.

The issue is he can't put the entire O-line, and in turn, the offense, on his back, can he?

I was a bit surprised to see the Raiders decline his fifth-year option, to be honest. He's a solid running back, carrying most if not the entire workload for the run game. He failed to hit 1,000 yards last season with only 872, which is a first for him, but he still had nine rushing touchdowns.

He offset some of that decline in rushing yards with his receiving game, setting career highs in targets, receptions, and yards. This is a big year for Jacobs as he's due for a new contract after this season, so he has to really prove himself, and I think he will.

The Raiders would be foolish not to retain him unless Jacobs falls off the face of the earth, which I don't foresee happening.

Moehrig had a decent rookie season with 55 total tackles and an interception. There were times when he let the ball slip through his hands, however. In terms of coverage, he only gave up 14 receptions for 181 yards and two touchdowns over the course of 17 games.

Getting him in the second round was a steal, to be honest. Definitely not their worst pick in the past few years, I'll say that much. How he fits into a new scheme will say a lot in year two. The Raiders will need him to carry his weight in 2022 if the secondary is going to be functional.