Ranking offensive positions in AFC West has Raiders in top-2

Since going 12-4 with the seventh-ranked scoring offense in 2016, the Raiders have struggled on both sides of the ball and have yet to get above .500 under Jon Gruden. They hope that changes in 2020 and while improvement on the defense could be the difference in playoffs or no playoffs, the offense seems to have all the makeup of a team that could be the best within their own division.

If only that division wasn’t the AFC West.

Were they in the AFC South or AFC East, for example, the Las Vegas Raiders might be considered the most potent offense within the division and arguably favorites to win it. In the West, however, Patrick Mahomes and the reigning champions exist and they’re first in scoring over the last three seasons.

The Raiders are 28th in scoring over that period of time. Fewer points than the Bengals, Browns, Jets, and Dolphins. With an offensive line that features two or three of the best players at their position of this era, Gruden and Vegas have few excuses left if 2020 happens and doesn’t result in an offense ranked higher than 24th, as they were last season.

They need more points than that and looking around the division, they should at least be able to stay ahead of the Broncos and Chargers. If they can’t do that, serious questions about the future of the franchise will be raised. Again.

These are my rankings and nothing more than that. It doesn’t mean these are “correct” (impossible for anyone to do) and I’m open to adjusting them if some news is brought to light about any of these players and their role next season. I had to do some projections and I had to slot a couple of players into places based on camp battles that have not happened yet. So take it all with a grain of salt.

In any case, Las Vegas comes out looking pretty good, relatively.

QB

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Derek Carr, Raiders

Drew Lock, Broncos

Tyrod Taylor, Chargers

RB

Josh Jacobs, Raiders

Austin Ekeler, Chargers

Melvin Gordon, Broncos

Damien Williams, Chiefs

WR1 (Most projected targets)

Keenan Allen, Chargers

Tyreek Hill, Chiefs

Courtland Sutton, Broncos

Hunter Renfrow, Raiders

WR2

Sammy Watkins, Chiefs

Mike Williams, Chargers

Tyrell Williams, Raiders

Jerry Jeudy, Broncos

WR3

Mecole Hardman, Chiefs

Henry Ruggs, Raiders

K.J. Hamler, Broncos

Andre Patton, Chargers

TE

Travis Kelce, Chiefs

Darren Waller, Raiders

Hunter Henry, Chargers

Noah Fant, Broncos

LT

Eric Fisher, Chiefs

Kolton Miller, Raiders

Garett Bolles, Broncos

Sam Tevi, Chargers

LG

Richie Incognito, Raiders

Dalton Risner, Broncos

Dan Feeney, Chargers

Nick Allegretti, Chiefs

C

Rodney Hudson, Raiders

Mike Pouncey, Chargers

Austin Reiter, Chiefs

Lloyd Cushenberry, Broncos

RG

Trai Turner, Chargers

Gabe Jackson, Raiders

Graham Glasgow, Broncos

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Chiefs

RT

Mitchell Schwartz, Chiefs

Trent Brown, Raiders

Bryan Bulaga, Chargers

Ja’Wuan James, Broncos

I’ll leave the commentary for the comments section.