Denarius Moore isn't the only Raiders wide receiver playing himself into position for a roster spot and playing time with his performance during training camp.
When the Raiders visit the 49ers on Saturday night at Candlestick Park, five-year veteran Derek Hagan plans on adding to an impressive three weeks and hopes to shake up one of the NFL's least productive corps of wide receivers.
"I didn't come here just to be here," Hagan said. "I came here to help this team win. It doesn't matter if I am starting or the third or fourth receiver."
Early indications are it's a good year to be a wide receiver in Oakland. The Raiders brought in offensive coordinator Al Saunders to upgrade the passing game, and the loss of tight end Zach Miller to free agency removed a security blanket for Raiders quarterbacks.
The last time the Raiders had a wide receiver finish with 1,000 yards and 70-plus catches was 2005, when Randy Moss had 1,005 yards and Jerry Porter had 76 receptions.
Last season, 16 wide receivers gained at least 1,000 receiving yards, and 19 had at least 70 receptions.
Coach Hue Jackson expects things to change this year.
"Somebody will jump out of the pack and have a bang-up season, and I suspect there will be a couple of players who will do that," Jackson said.
Moore, the fifth-round draft pick from Tennessee who has been making both routine and spectacular plays since camp began, was working with the first team Friday along with Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Hagan, whose 85 career receptions split between Miami and the New York Giants are the most of any receiver on the roster, signed the day camp opened Aug. 6 and produced almost instantly, showing himself to be a polished route runner with good hands.
At 26, Hagan is the closest thing the Raiders have to a veteran presence.
"The guys are young, and obviously, that's where I come in, as a veteran trying to help some of these younger guys, showing that work ethic and that habit of coming out and getting better every day," Hagan said. "Hopefully, the guys are learning."
Asked how Hagan could assimilate so quickly to a new offense, Jackson's response surely will be relayed to the rest of the receivers on the roster.
"He understands that instead of going in and playing Xbox at night and trying to figure out how to score on that video game, he goes in, takes his (play)book, opens it and works on it," Jackson said.
Moore and Hagan haven't missed a day of practice and have made the most of the extra work available because of injuries to Heyward-Bey, Jacoby Ford (broken wrist), Chaz Schilens (knee) and Louis Murphy (undisclosed).
Add Nick Miller to the mix, and that makes seven strong candidates on a team that rarely carries seven receivers and in most seasons keeps five.
"We're going to keep giving guys an opportunity to make plays, and guys that make them will get the most opportunities," Jackson said.
Jackson had not worked out his rotation for the 49ers game but said he probably would play the first team deeper into the game. The first-team defense got only six snaps against Arizona in the exhibition opener last week.
The Raiders went through a brisk 90-minute, no-contact practice heavy on work in the red zone and situations such as third-down conversion.
One difference Jackson has seen since the arrival of Rod Woodson as cornerbacks coach -- more physical play at that position.
"Contact courage is something he talks about all the time," Jackson said. "I do see our guys tackling, or being more involved in the ruckus than they have in the past."
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