Without Meyers, Raiders Must Attempt To Utilize Renfrow

The Las Vegas Raiders will have to find a way to utilize wide Hunter Renfrow against the Bills with Jakobi Meyers out.

The Las Vegas Raiders Hunter Renfrow came into this season to return to his 2021-22 form. That season, Renfrow accounted for over 100 catches and 1,000 yards receiving. He was selected to his very first Pro Bowl. 

The Raiders would switch coaching staffs that offseason, and Renfrow, like many Raiders players, spent much time during his first season under Coach Josh McDaniels simply learning a new system. Learning a new offense is tough for any player, but Renfrow had to do so while being injured for a significant amount of time.

"It takes time to learn the offense," Renfrow said. "I've felt more familiar coming in this year, through the process of fall camp. It's been great."

After a down 2022-23 campaign where Renfrow missed seven games, many expected this season to be one that saw Renfrow get back to the quick and explosive Renfrow he's known to be.

During the first game of the season at Denver, though, Renfrow wasn't targeted, leaving many to wonder why that was the case.

Last week, the Raiders did the intelligent thing and rode the hot hand en route to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who finished the game with nine catches for 81 yards. With Meyers out for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills because of a concussion, Renfrow should be on the receiving end of more targets, at the very least. 

Renfrow is a receiver every defense has to concern itself with when healthy. However, because of the many options the Raiders have to catch the ball, no defense can do much more than single cover Renfrow or risk the potential of running zone defenses that would be vulnerable to Renfrow's route-running skills and ability to find the soft spots within the zone.

"We've been working for five months, since May," Renfrow said. "So we've definitely been putting in the work. Hopefully, it comes to fruition on Sunday."

Renfrow is immensely talented, and his work ethic is seen daily in practice. Whether it is as a decoy, to stretch the field, or in the screen game, the Raiders have to find a way to get the most out of Renfrow. 

Even with Meyers sidelined this Sunday, the Raiders are still deep enough at wide receiver that any of their pass-catching options could have a big or subpar game, depending on how the offense is being defended. 

While there are more ways for a receiver to impact a game than receptions, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo at least looking Renfrow's way a few more times could benefit the Raiders' chances of pulling off another victory on the road. 

The Silver and Black remain on the road this week as they travel to play the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 1:05 p.m. EDT/10:05 a.m. PDT.

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