Two Raiders Among PFF's Top-50 Players
Even after an offseason that saw the Las Vegas Raiders significantly raise their profile as a potential contender, there still seems to be a lot for them to prove this season.
That can be argued when, despite having several big names on both offense and defense, the Raiders only had two players make the cut on Pro Football Focus's list of top-50 NFL players for this year.
The first name that belongs to the Raiders shouldn't come as any surprise, with wide receiver Davante Adams checking in at #4.
The only players PFF has ranked ahead of him are Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams and Adams former teammate, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
It shouldn't come as any surprise, with Adams holding the status as the best receiver in football over the past two seasons.
Over that time, he's twice been a First-Team All-Pro, and has a combined 238 catches for 2,927 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Fans will have to go all the way down to the last spot at #50, though, to see the next and only other Raider on the list.
That would be defensive end Maxx Crosby, who broke out in a big way in 2021, making his first Pro Bowl and being named a Second-Team All-Pro.
Crosby finished as PFF 2nd highest ranked edge player last season, becoming only the third player since 2006 to top 100 QB pressures over the course of a season.
For reference, the two players that had done it in that same time span before Crosby was Donald and Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle J.J. Watt.
Considering that, it could be argued that Crosby should be ranked even higher on PFFs list.
Unfortunately for Raiders fans, he isn't, and there are several other names that could merit being on a list of top-50 players.
A healthy return to form for tight end Darren Waller could put him right back in that conversation, as could a big season for pass rusher Chandler Jones.
Winning is often the thing that changes minds most often, and if the Raiders can do that this season, it's possible a few more names could be on PFFs list of top-50 players next year.
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