Everyone in Las Vegas is excited for the 2022 NFL season to begin.
They are still buzzing about how the Las Vegas Raiders made a bold trade to get wide receiver Davante Adams.
However, they are forgetting about one long time receiver of theirs that’s the key to their success.
That receiver is Hunter Renfrow.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound receiver isn’t the tallest or biggest receiver out there.
However, he is a special talent that some might not remember from the 2021 season.
Renfrow Had Some Of The Best Hands Of All Receivers In 2021
You can’t complete passes if you don’t have players who can catch those passes.
The young receiver from Clemson knows how to secure those passes thrown to him.
He posted an 80.5% reception rate during the 2021 NFL season.
The #NFL Best Catch WR Rate when targeted over 50 targets.
🥇 #Cardinals Rondale Moore 84.4%
🥈#Raiders Hunter Renfrow 80.5%
🥉#Patriots Kendrick Bourne 78.6%
#Bucs Chris Godwin 77.2%#Rams Cooper Kupp 75.9%#Lions Amon-Ra St. Brown 75.6%#Jaguars Christian Kirk 74.8%— NFL Numbers 🔢 (@nflnumber) April 9, 2022
This means that of all targeted passes that came his way, he caught 80.5% of those targets.
That made him the second-highest reliable receiver in the NFL in 2021 with hauling in those passes.
His reception percentage also puts him higher than Cooper Kupp, the best receiver in 2021 for total receiving yards.
However, Renfrow didn’t get as many yards after the catch, which keeps him under the radar.
Lack Of YAC Keeps Eyes Off Renfrow
NFL defenses always target the best players on the opposing team.
But sometimes they focus on the wrong players.
With receivers, they target ones who make big yardage plays and have a lot of receiving yards.
Most receivers get their yards via yards after the catch, commonly known as YAC.
Well, Renfrow doesn’t get many YAC yards in the games he plays.
Last season, his YAC totals were 452 yards, placing him 14th among receivers.
However, his YAC average was only 4.4 yards per reception.
With him possibly being overlooked because of his low YAC average, he might turn into a secret weapon for Las Vegas.
He will also have help to be that secret weapon for the Raiders this season.
Davante Adams Coming To Las Vegas Should Help
It’s hard for some NFL teams to lock down one great receiver.
The Raiders have that great receiver in Adams.
BEST RECEIVER IN THE NFL 🐐
Davante Adams is the ONLY player with a 90+ receiving grade (92.4)
(min. 100 receiving snaps) pic.twitter.com/lMDys2bw0k
— PFF GB Packers (@PFF_Packers) October 13, 2021
He can also help keep the defense distracted, leaving Renfrow wide open for possible big plays downfield.
With Adams as a known threat from his time in Green Bay, defenses will gameplan for him.
It gives the Raiders a chance to use their young receiver even more in 2022.
It could also help him improve those YAC yards of his during the season.
However, it’s up to the Raiders to use him properly as a weapon on offense.
With the contract extension he signed recently, it’s safe to believe the Raiders have plans for him already.
This means the Raiders have two of the best receivers in the NFL on their team.
Adams is the deep threat that defenses always focus on in games.
Renfrow is the sure-handed receiver that works well in the slot.
Derek Carr and the Raiders are sitting pretty with this receiver duo in Las Vegas.
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