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The wide receiver group in Las Vegas was a disaster last season. Now the Raiders will turn to Jalen Nailor to help increase the production.
Athlon Sports' Doug Farrar named Jalen Nailor the X-Factor for the Raiders 2026 season after how poorly the 2025 season went.
The Raiders didn’t have a single wideout top 700 yards last season, as Tre Tucker led the way with 696 yards. Jakobi Meyers, who was shipped off to Jacksonville after seven games, had the second most yards of any Raider receiver at 352.
Second-round pick Jack Bech was a disappointment, as he hauled in just 20 passes for 224 yards. However, Pete Carroll refused to use Bech despite the high draft capital. The rookie played just 37 percent of offensive snaps last year. Carroll played favorites and gave 33-year-old Tyler Lockett a 53 percent snap rate despite his lack of production.
A new target
Regardless of who was on the field, no one produced for the Raiders. Leading Las Vegas to give Jalen Nailor a 3 year, $35 million contract, making him the 39th highest paid wide receiver in the NFL on a per year basis.
As evident by his contract, Nailor isn’t a proven number one - or even number two - wide receiver. He has never had a 500 yard season, as he posted 414 and 444 yards the previous two years.
Advanced stats don’t paint a much prettier picture either. Nailor was 82nd in yards per route run last season out of 97 qualified wide receivers. He finished 91st in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus.
In Minnesota, Nailor was the fourth option in the passing game. Justin Jefferson soaked up as many targets as possible, with Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson settling in as secondary weapons.
As a result Nailor played 65.2 percent of Minnesota’s offensive snaps. The Raiders are going to ask Nailor to play much more, as he should be on the field in any formations with at least two wideouts.
The Raiders can rely on tight end Brock Bowers to be the number one target in the offense, which should allow Nailor to operate with more freedom than a true number one wide receiver. But Nailor will have to prove he actually is the best wide receiver in Las Vegas. Tucker’s 2025 season was better than anything Nailor has done in the NFL. Plus, Jack Bech should get more of an opportunity to prove he was worth a second round pick.
Nailor’s production in 2026 should help Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza turn around one of the NFL’s worst offenses. But any shortcomings from Nailor could also lead the Raiders to address the wide receiver room with a first round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
