The Las Vegas Raiders are in full rebuild mode heading into 2026. Tom Brady is a minority owner of the team. Klint Kubiak is the first-year head coach. Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick out of Indiana, is the franchise quarterback of the future. And Kirk Cousins is the bridge starter keeping the seat warm. For fantasy managers, this team has exactly two players worth drafting. Brock Bowers is one of the best tight ends alive. Ashton Jeanty has legitimate RB1 upside on an improved offensive line. Everything else is a wasteland. Here is what you need to know.
New Head Coach, New Owner, New Direction
Klint Kubiak begins his first season as Raiders head coach with an offensive system rooted in the Kubiak-Shanahan coaching tree. His offenses use zone-running concepts, play-action, and heavier personnel groupings, including 12 personnel—an approach that could feature both Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer.raiders+1
Tom Brady is a minority owner involved in the organization’s rebuild, while veteran Kirk Cousins is expected to start ahead of No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza in 2026. Las Vegas also added former Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum on a record three-year, $81 million deal to strengthen an offensive line that struggled most as a run-blocking unit in 2025.
Fantasy football implications: Bowers and Ashton Jeanty remain the Raiders’ premier fantasy targets. Linderbaum should help the offensive line, but the unit is still projected in the league’s bottom third, so Jeanty’s RB1 ceiling comes with meaningful risk.
The Quarterback Situation: A Tale of Two Careers
Kirk Cousins entered Raiders training camp as the starting quarterback, with head coach Klint Kubiak saying Cousins is “the guy” and will receive extensive first-team reps. Kubiak also emphasized that Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O’Connell must continue to compete for the job.nfl+1
Cousins’ 2025 performance raised legitimate concerns: he ranked 31st in EPA per dropback and completed 61.7% of his passes, a modest 27th among qualifying quarterbacks. He signed a contract that effectively guarantees him $20 million for 2026.nytimes+1
Mendoza, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Heisman Trophy winner and national champion from Indiana, will begin his NFL career behind Cousins after Las Vegas selected him first overall.ncaa+1
Fantasy verdict: In standard leagues, Cousins is a matchup-based QB2 and Mendoza is a waiver-wire watch list player until the depth chart changes. In Superflex and dynasty leagues, Mendoza is a premium stash—but his short-term fantasy ceiling depends on both playing time and the development of the Raiders’ pass-catching group around Brock Bowers.
Brock Bowers: The Best Tight End Alive
Bowers caught 112 passes for 1,194 yards and 6 touchdowns as a rookie in 2025 — the most receptions ever by a rookie tight end in NFL history. He did this behind the NFL’s worst offensive line with subpar quarterback play. He is 22 years old, runs a 4.45 forty, and catches everything thrown near him. Fantasy Life projects Bowers breaking Travis Kelce’s single-season tight end receiving yard record of 1,416 yards in 2026. Because Kubiak’s system uses 12 personnel sets, Bowers lines up in favorable matchups every week. Furthermore, the improved offensive line gives Cousins and eventually Mendoza cleaner pockets — meaning more time to find Bowers downfield.
Fantasy verdict: TE1 overall. Some analysts have him as the second overall pick in all formats. Draft Bowers in the second round of standard leagues and the first round of TE-premium formats. He is the safest skill position investment on this entire roster by a wide margin.
Ashton Jeanty: The Comeback Kid
Jeanty’s rookie season was challenging, as he ran behind an offensive line that cycled through multiple combinations and underwent a midseason coordinator change. Even so, he led all rookies with 975 rushing yards and 1,321 scrimmage yards, finishing just 25 rushing yards short of 1,000. He also scored 10 total touchdowns, including five as a receiver.
Jeanty flashed elite tackle-breaking ability, generating 57% of his rushing production after contact and recording 24 broken tackles—third most in the NFL. His biggest performances included 155 scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns against Chicago, then 188 scrimmage yards and two total touchdowns against Houston.raiders+2
The addition of center Tyler Linderbaum should improve Las Vegas’ interior blocking, giving Jeanty a stronger chance to raise his 3.7 yards-per-carry average in 2026.raiders+1
Fantasy verdict: Jeanty is a high-upside RB2 with RB1 potential. He projects for a major workload, but managers should price in the remaining uncertainty around the Raiders’ offensive line and overall scoring environment.
The Wide Receiver Room: Skip It Entirely
Tre Tucker enters 2026 as Las Vegas’ most established wide receiver after setting career highs with 57 receptions, 696 receiving yards, and five touchdowns in 2025. He is joined by free-agent addition Jalen Nailor and Dont’e Thornton Jr., but the group lacks a proven high-volume pass catcher. Nailor arrives after four seasons in Minnesota, where he played behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison; his career high is 444 receiving yards.
Fantasy verdict: Tucker and Nailor are late-round, matchup-dependent options rather than reliable standard-league starters.
2026 Las Vegas Raiders Schedule
The Raiders open at home against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 before a brutal early stretch that includes home games against Kansas City and Buffalo in Weeks 4 and 6. The bye week falls in Week 13. Las Vegas has no primetime games.
| Week | Opponent | Location | Day/Time | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami Dolphins | Home | Sun 1:25 PM | FOX |
| 2 | Los Angeles Chargers | Away | Sun 1:05 PM | CBS |
| 3 | New Orleans Saints | Away | Sun 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 4 | Kansas City Chiefs | Home | Sun 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 5 | New England Patriots | Away | Sun 10:00 AM | CBS |
| 6 | Buffalo Bills | Home | Sun 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 7 | Los Angeles Rams | Home | Sun 1:25 PM | FOX |
| 8 | New York Jets | Away | Sun 10:00 AM | FOX |
| 9 | San Francisco 49ers | Away | Sun 1:05 PM | CBS |
| 10 | Seattle Seahawks | Home | Sun 1:05 PM | CBS |
| 11 | Denver Broncos | Away | Sun 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 12 | Cleveland Browns | Away | Sun 10:00 AM | FOX |
| 13 | BYE | — | — | — |
| 14 | Los Angeles Chargers | Home | Sun 1:05 PM | CBS |
| 15 | Denver Broncos | Home | Sun 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 16 | Tennessee Titans | Home | Sun 1:05 PM | FOX |
| 17 | Arizona Cardinals | Away | Sun 1:05 PM | CBS |
| 18 | Kansas City Chiefs | Away | TBD | — |
Fantasy note: Fantasy note: The Week 13 bye can affect fantasy playoff preparation in leagues that begin postseason play that week. Las Vegas has a favorable home-heavy stretch from Weeks 14–16, hosting the Chargers, Broncos, and Titans, before road games at Arizona and Kansas City close the regular season.
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FAQ
Who is the Las Vegas Raiders starting quarterback in 2026?
Kirk Cousins enters 2026 as the Raiders’ starting quarterback. Head coach Klint Kubiak named Cousins the QB1 at the start of training camp, while No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza begins his development behind the veteran. Cousins is the favorite to start Week 1, though the rookie remains the organization’s long-term quarterback plan.
Is Brock Bowers the best fantasy tight end in 2026?
Brock Bowers is a top-tier fantasy tight end and a legitimate TE1 candidate in 2026. He set rookie records with 112 receptions and 1,194 receiving yards in 2024, then posted 64 receptions, 680 yards, and seven touchdowns in 12 games in 2025. He is typically drafted around the second or third round, depending on format, rather than as a top overall pick.
Is Ashton Jeanty worth drafting in fantasy football?
Yes. Jeanty is a high-upside RB2 with RB1 potential. He rushed for 975 yards on 266 carries as a rookie and added 55 catches for 346 yards, producing 1,321 scrimmage yards and 10 total touchdowns. Tyler Linderbaum’s arrival and Kubiak’s run-oriented system should improve the environment, but the Raiders’ line remains a work in progress. Draft Jeanty for workload and upside—not because improvement is guaranteed.
Does the Las Vegas Raiders receiver room have any fantasy value?
The Raiders’ receivers are mostly late-round, format-dependent picks. Tre Tucker is the most established option after a 696-yard season, while Jalen Nailor and Dont’e Thornton Jr. offer deeper-league upside. The group lacks a proven high-volume receiver, but “skip every Raiders receiver” is too absolute.
What is the Las Vegas Raiders’ bye week in 2026?
Week 8.
How many primetime games do the Raiders have in 2026?
Las Vegas has its bye in Week 13. The Raiders have zero scheduled primetime games in 2026, not three. Flex scheduling could still change the national-TV slate late in the season.
What stadium do the Raiders play in?
Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
How long has Commish Kit been making fantasy football draft boards?
Since 2002 — Commish Kit started in Daly City, California, and moved to Austin, Texas in 2012, making 2026 its 24th season in business.
