As he looks ahead to the upcoming campaign, expectations surrounding Meyers’ offensive output require careful calibration. Last season, the veteran wide receiver delivered a career-best campaign in terms of counting statistics, finally eclipsing the coveted 1,000-yard receiving mark for the first time in his career. This milestone was achieved despite missing a pair of games and playing within a difficult offensive environment. His average of 68.5 receiving yards per game represented a substantial leap forward from his previous career-high of 57.4 yards per contest, which he had established during the 2022 season. Furthermore, Meyers maintained per-target production metrics that remained remarkably consistent with his established career averages, proving that his enhanced output was not a sudden fluke in efficiency, but rather the result of sheer volume and high usage.
A deeper examination of Meyers’ 2024 campaign reveals that his per-route productivity remained right in line with his historical norms. The dramatic boost in his total counting statistics was primarily a direct product of his extraordinary presence on the field. Meyers commanded a staggering 91.5 percent snap share in the games in which he was active, operating within an offense that registered the fourth-highest passing attempt volume in the entire league. This heavy reliance on the passing game, combined with his durability and reliability, artificially inflated his raw totals.
The landscape in Las Vegas, however, has undergone notable shifts. The Raiders organization made a splash by trading for veteran quarterback Geno Smith while notably refraining from adding significant target competition during the free-agency period. On paper, these moves might initially lead observers to assume that Meyers is primed for an even more explosive campaign. However, reality points toward a more nuanced projection. Meyers is now playing under the guidance of head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, while simultaneously sharing the field with dynamic rookie running back Ashton Jeanty. Given this new coaching staff’s offensive philosophies and the integration of a prominent rookie weapon in the backfield, the likelihood of Meyers approaching last year’s exceptionally high per-game route volume appears quite low.
Compounding the volume concerns is the presence of star tight end Brock Bowers. It is widely anticipated that Meyers will face immense competition for targets, with Bowers firmly establishing himself as a central figure in the passing attack. Beyond Bowers, the team’s receiving corps features Tre Tucker, Dont’e Thornton, Jack Bech, and Amari Cooper, creating a supporting cast that lacks a dominant secondary alpha wide receiver to challenge Meyers directly for snaps, yet still commands occasional looks.
Historically, Meyers’ career has taken some fascinating turns, particularly regarding his touchdown production. Early in his tenure with the New England Patriots, Meyers famously became a trivia answer for catching a massive volume of passes without securing a single touchdown reception. That narrative shifted dramatically over the subsequent seasons. During his final year in New England, he found the end zone six times across 14 games. He followed that up with a career-high 10 total touchdowns—including two rushing scores—over 16 games in his debut season with the Raiders.
Despite the spike in scoring, Meyers’ other underlying performance metrics during his first season in Las Vegas remained steady and mirrored his time with the Patriots. The 27-year-old receiver hauled in 71 of his 106 targets, translating to a 67.0 percent catch rate, for 807 total yards. He averaged 11.4 yards per reception and 7.6 yards per target. His peripheral statistics, including a 9.7 average depth of target and a 3.4 yards-after-catch average, aligned almost identically with his historical benchmarks in New England.
Meyers has never fit the traditional mold of an explosive, vertical deep threat, despite possessing a respectable frame at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. His speed has never terrified opposing secondaries—evidenced by his 4.63-second time in the 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine—though he consistently plays faster than those testing numbers suggest. Similarly, his work after the catch rarely results in highlight-reel plays that break games open. Yet, despite these physical limitations, Meyers is universally recognized as a fundamentally sound football player who has added measurable value to every franchise he has represented. Outside of his rookie campaign—which coincided with Tom Brady’s final year in New England—Meyers has spent his professional career catching passes from subpar or transitional quarterbacks, making his statistical consistency all the more impressive.
Looking ahead, analysts project a likely regression in his touchdown production, especially considering that Gardner Minshew served as the Raiders’ primary quarterback addition prior to the broader offensive shifts. Furthermore, the selection of Brock Bowers in the first round introduces a legitimate threat to Meyers’ overall target share, as Bowers possesses the immense talent required to command high-volume involvement alongside superstar wide receiver Davante Adams. Although Adams experienced a slight statistical dip in certain areas during the previous season, he remains a dominant force who commands a massive share of the offensive game plan whenever he is on the field.
Meyers’ journey to this point has been defined by steady adaptation and resilience. Reaching the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of college, he initially had to scratch and claw just to secure a roster spot in New England. During his rookie campaign in 2019, he appeared in 15 games primarily as a depth piece behind established veterans like Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon, Demaryius Thomas, and Phillip Dorsett, managing 26 receptions for 359 yards while fighting for every opportunity that came his way.
As the years progressed, Meyers gradually climbed the depth chart. In his second season, he competed heavily with newcomer Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor for primary receiving duties following Edelman’s retirement. Despite the Patriots’ run-heavy offensive philosophy and heavy reliance on two-tight-end sets, Meyers emerged as a trusted weapon for the team’s rotating cast of quarterbacks, eventually leading New England in receiving during his second year with 59 catches for 729 yards across 14 games.
His development continued under various offensive coordinators, including a reunion period that highlighted his steady progression from an unheralded rookie into a reliable, starting-caliber professional. Whether operating primarily out of the slot or moving to the perimeter—where he has actually produced strong yards-per-route metrics throughout his career—Meyers has consistently proven that his initial combine testing numbers did not define his football intelligence, route-running precision, or overall effectiveness on the gridiron.
As the Raiders turn the page to a new era under Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly, Meyers will once again be tasked with proving his worth within a shifting offensive hierarchy. While the raw counting stats from his career-best 1,000-yard season may prove difficult to replicate given the incoming competition for targets and a projected decline in raw route volume, Meyers’ sure hands, veteran presence, and deep familiarity with professional-grade route running ensure that he will remain an integral component of the Las Vegas offense as the season unfolds.
