The Las Vegas Raiders have a storied lineage at the wide receiver position. The list of wide receivers who have come and gone with the Silver and Black is endless, including Jerry Rice, Jerry Porter, Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, and Malcolm Barnwell. Mind you, those are just a handful; we’re talking about decades worth of players.
However, let’s maybe narrow it down to five as we await training camp later this month.
Who are the greatest receivers in Las Vegas Raiders history?
5. Davante Adams, 2022-Current
Bay Area native Davante Adams grew up rooting for the Raiders his entire life. In 2022, a dream became true when the Green Bay Packers traded him away for draft capital. This move reunited Adams with his college quarterback, Derek Carr. Together, the duo was very successful in their first season, despite a disappointing record. Adams racked up video-game numbers, posting 1,516 receiving yards. This feat set the team’s all-time record for receiving yards in a season.
With his future always pending and his prime drifting away, Adams has already established himself as one of the greats. He has posted over 100 receptions and over 1,100 yards in two consecutive seasons.
Maybe we’ll see Adams move into the top three when it’s all said and done.
4. Art Powell, 1963-1966
Art Powell was one of the earliest stars to put on the Silver and Black. Some of his numbers are superior to those of other Hall of Famers, including Jerry Rice. In comparison, Powell is second all-time in touchdown catches per game and third all-time in frequency of touchdowns.
Legendary Raiders coach Al Davis held high praise for Powell’s play. “I had one of the greatest receivers who has ever played this game,” Davis said. “His first year for me, he carried us.” He was known for his football intelligence and his keen ability to create space. One of the original Raiders deserved to be on this list.
3. Cliff Branch, 1972-1985
Speed was the main component of Cliff Branch’s success. He embodied what it meant to be a Raider, and he never played for another franchise in his 14 years. Branch’s peak is undeniably great, as he was a first-team All-Pro for three consecutive years. His dominance led to the Raiders winning a Super Bowl in 1976. With Branch on board, they won two more championships.
He changed the dynamics of playing the wide receiver position. Because of his impact, speed became an important attribute when investing in a wide receiver. Branch undoubtedly ranks among the top three Raiders receivers in history.
2. Tim Brown, 1988-2003
Tim Brown is the organization’s all-time leader in receiving yards with 14,734. In fact, No. 81 nearly accumulated 15,000 career receiving yards (14,734 for the Raiders, to be exact; in addition, Brown totaled 200 yards with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004); it’s a team milestone that’ll likely remain unmatched.
Back in 1997, Brown led the entire league in receptions with 104 that season. In nine consecutive seasons, Brown totaled over 1,000 yards. His numbers show that he was an amazing talent at the receiver position. Unfortunately, Brown was never able to bring home a Super Bowl ring, though he did help lead his squad to an appearance in the big game in 2002.
1. Fred Biletnikoff, 1965-1978
Fred Biletnikoff is a highly renowned name in college football and, without question, one of the greatest to ever do it, period. His performance in college led to the award being named after him. After catching four passes in Super Bowl XI, Biletnikoff earned the title of Most Valuable Player.
In his time, he was one of the best in the entire league. He set a new record after having 40 receptions in 10 consecutive seasons. This was unheard of in football at the time. The best Raiders receiver to ever put on the Silver and Black was a two-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler.
