Las Vegas Raiders

2025 Recap

Las Vegas finished 3-14 in an environment that never became stable enough to support dependable team success. The record provides essential context for the individual production. Ashton Jeanty still generated 1,321 scrimmage yards and 10 total touchdowns, Brock Bowers remained productive through injury, and Tre Tucker delivered career highs with 51 receptions, 696 receiving yards, and five touchdowns.

Those individual results did not make the offense functional as a whole. The passing game lacked an established alpha receiver, quarterback play did not elevate the environment, and the defense did not have enough proven answers beyond Maxx Crosby.

2026 Offseason

The Raiders established a more coherent plan. John Spytek remains in charge of the roster, Tom Brady remains part of the organizational structure, and Kubiak arrives with a clear offensive philosophy. Cousins provides an experienced bridge quarterback, while No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza gives the franchise a long-term answer to develop.

The draft added guard Trey Zuhn III to the offensive-line plan, developmental back Mike Washington Jr., and speed receiver Malik Benson. The organization is better aligned than it was a year ago, but improved direction should not be confused with a completed roster.

2026 Outlook

Las Vegas can become a better football team and a better fantasy environment without becoming a playoff contender. Jeanty and Bowers give the offense two legitimate young cornerstones. Kubiak's structure should improve efficiency, and Cousins should raise the immediate floor while Mendoza develops.

The remaining limitations are significant. The receiver room lacks a proven alpha, the defense remains too dependent on Crosby, quarterback transition risk remains, and the Raiders enter the league's most punishing divisional context for their current level of development. The direction is upward, but the roster is still a year away.

• Ashton Jeanty is a foundational young back whose rushing and receiving roles survive imperfect team results.
• Brock Bowers is an elite positional talent and the clear primary weapon in the passing game.
• Kubiak gives the offense a coherent run, movement, and play-action structure.
• Cousins gives the offense veteran competence while Mendoza develops.
• The offensive line is better positioned to function within the new scheme.
• Crosby remains an elite defensive centerpiece.

• Cousins' recent regression prevents the bridge quarterback from being treated as an above-average fantasy starter.
• Mendoza is the franchise future, but the Raiders should not manufacture a 2026 takeover timeline.
• The receiver room has complementary speed and developmental options but no proven alpha.
• The defense has not established enough difference-makers beyond Crosby.
• The AFC West is brutal for a roster still building toward contention.
• A difficult schedule leaves little margin for another slow start.

The offense should revolve around Jeanty and Bowers.

Jeanty is the rushing engine and a meaningful receiving asset. Kubiak's zone concepts, movement, and play-action structure should create cleaner run looks and allow the offense to use Jeanty's complete skill set. Bowers is the primary passing-game weapon and the player most capable of controlling matchups in the middle of the field.

Cousins can distribute the ball within that structure without being asked to recreate the peak version of his career. Mendoza can learn the same system without an invented timetable. The receivers should supply spacing and complementary plays, but they must earn greater investment through actual role clarity and production.

The defense should be physical, multiple, and built around Crosby's ability to disrupt protections. Leonard can vary fronts and pressure presentations while asking the rest of the unit to develop around its established star.

The concept is stronger than the proof. Las Vegas has useful additions and developmental pieces, but the front seven and secondary must demonstrate that they can support Crosby against high-level AFC offenses. This is an improving defense in direction, not a proven dominant unit.

The offensive line is better positioned for the new system and should be evaluated as an improving unit rather than a defining weakness. Kubiak's movement and zone concepts can improve cohesion, create cleaner angles, and help Jeanty find more efficient rushing lanes.

Trey Zuhn III adds a verified young building block to the interior plan. The line does not need to become elite to materially improve the offense. Functional protection makes Cousins more viable, supports the play-action game, and gives Jeanty a better chance to convert volume into explosive production.

Crosby is the cornerstone and the only established front-seven player opponents must plan around at an elite level. Leonard's job is to maximize that advantage while building a deeper, more dependable rotation around him.

The front has upside through alignment flexibility and physicality, but the Raiders must prove they can create pressure and control the run when offenses devote protection resources to Crosby. Until that happens, the defense should not be treated as an automatic fantasy asset.

The secondary remains an uncertainty rather than a proven strength. The Raiders invested in developmental talent, including Treydan Stukes, Jermod McCoy, Dalton Johnson, and Hezekiah Masses, but draft capital and youth do not guarantee immediate NFL reliability.

Leonard can help the group through disguise and pressure structure. The unit still must show that it can survive against the established quarterbacks and receiving talent Las Vegas will face throughout the AFC West and the broader schedule.

The Raiders matter because fantasy value can become concentrated even when team success remains limited.

Jeanty does not need Las Vegas to become a playoff team to command foundational volume. Bowers does not need a complete receiver room to remain the primary passing-game weapon. Kubiak only needs to make the offense more coherent for both players to retain high-end value.

The rest of the roster should be treated differently. Tucker, Bech, Nailor, Benson, Washington, Cousins, and Mendoza all have football relevance, but fantasy managers should require evidence before expanding the Raiders beyond a concentrated core.

High Upside

Las Vegas offers two premium fantasy building blocks and one disciplined late-round flyer.

Jeanty belongs near the Round 1-2 turn because the workload, receiving ability, and improved run-game structure create a high-end RB ceiling. Bowers remains an early-round positional difference-maker because he is the offense's most dangerous receiving weapon. Tucker can be considered late as Flex depth, but his depth-chart position must not be mistaken for alpha-receiver ability.

The environment becomes riskier after those three. Cousins is an ecosystem stabilizer, Mendoza is a redraft watch-list player, and the developmental receivers and backs must earn their roles.

• Whether Kubiak can translate a strong offensive background into successful first-time head-coach leadership.
• Whether Cousins can stabilize the offense without blocking Mendoza's long-term development.
• How quickly the improved offensive-line structure raises Jeanty's efficiency.
• Whether Bowers can overcome concentrated defensive attention as the clear primary target.
• Whether Tucker, Bech, Nailor, or Benson can establish a true lead-receiver role.
• Whether Leonard can build a credible defense around Crosby.
• Whether Las Vegas can survive the difficult Weeks 5-12 stretch before its late bye.

• **Ashton Jeanty:** Foundational young running back and the engine of the offense.
• **Brock Bowers:** Elite tight end and primary passing-game weapon.
• **Fernando Mendoza:** No. 1 overall pick and long-term franchise quarterback.
• Maxx Crosby: Defensive cornerstone and the unit's established difference-maker.
• Klint Kubiak: Offensive architect responsible for creating a coherent team identity.

• Previous coaching structure: The 3-14 season required a complete reset in how the team is organized and presented.
• Quarterback continuity: Las Vegas enters another transition, using Cousins as the bridge while Mendoza develops.

Fernando Mendoza

• Player: Fernando Mendoza
• Position: QB
• Why they matter for fantasy: The No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner is the franchise future. He carries meaningful dynasty value but remains a redraft watch-list player while Cousins holds the starting job.

Mike Washington Jr.

• Player: Mike Washington Jr.
• Position: RB
• Why they matter for fantasy: Washington gives Las Vegas a developmental and contingency back behind Jeanty. His athletic profile is worth monitoring, but no standalone volume should be manufactured.

Malik Benson

• Player: Malik Benson
• Position: WR
• Why they matter for fantasy: Benson adds speed to a receiver room without a proven alpha. His role must develop before he becomes a standard redraft target.

Kirk Cousins

Cousins is the veteran bridge and an ecosystem upgrade more than a priority fantasy quarterback. His experience can make the offense functional and help Jeanty, Bowers, and Mendoza, but recent regression, age, and an uncertain duration as starter prevent an aggressive redraft recommendation.

Fernando Mendoza

Mendoza is the franchise future, the No. 1 overall pick, and an important dynasty asset. He remains a 2026 redraft watch-list player while Cousins starts. Do not assign a standard target round or manufacture a takeover date before the Raiders establish one.

Jack Bech

Bech enters Year 2 with a developmental opportunity in a receiver room that lacks a proven alpha. His 2025 production did not justify a standard draft recommendation. Monitor whether he earns routes, targets, and a dependable role.

Jalen Nailor

Nailor adds useful speed but enters as a complementary receiver rather than a proven alpha. Monitor whether Kubiak creates a dependable route and target role before treating him as more than a watch-list option.

Malik Benson

Benson's speed gives him developmental upside and a path to field-stretching work. His route profile and role remain too uncertain for standard redraft investment before he earns meaningful snaps.

Mike Washington Jr.

Washington is a developmental and contingency back behind Jeanty. He should not be assigned standalone volume before the offense establishes a complementary role.

Quarterbacks

Cousins should open as the veteran bridge. He can operate Kubiak's defined reads and play-action structure, but his 2025 performance no longer supports treating him as a dependable fantasy starter. Mendoza provides long-term upside and developmental value without an invented 2026 starting date.

Running Backs

Jeanty is the offensive centerpiece and a Round 1-2 target. His 1,321 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in a poor 2025 environment show that volume and talent can survive the team's limitations. Better line play and scheme fit raise the efficiency ceiling. Washington is a contingency option, not a projected committee equal.

Wide Receivers

Tucker is the leading established receiver, a vertical threat, and a late-round Flex-depth option after a career-best season. He is not a proven alpha. Bech has a Year 2 opportunity, Nailor adds speed in a complementary profile, and Benson is a developmental field-stretcher. The room must prove that someone can become more than a role player.

Tight Ends

Bowers is an elite talent and the primary passing-game weapon. The lack of a true alpha receiver allows defenses to concentrate attention on him, but the role and talent remain strong enough to support a Round 2-3 target. He is the passing game's most trustworthy weekly asset.

Defense / Special Teams

The Raiders defense is not an approved standard draft target. Crosby creates weekly disruption, but the unit around him remains too unproven for automatic investment. Treat Las Vegas DST as a matchup streamer only after Leonard's structure demonstrates reliability.

Verified Schedule Status: Official 2026 schedule confirmed by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Schedule Difficulty: Brutal.

Critical Stretch: Weeks 5-12 before the Week 13 bye.

Miami and New Orleans give Las Vegas legitimate early opportunities, while the Chargers and Chiefs immediately test whether the organizational improvement is real. A 2-2 opening would keep the season credible.

Weeks 5-12 form the decisive stretch. New England, Buffalo, the Rams, the Jets, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, and Cleveland create a demanding sequence before the late bye. A developing roster cannot afford repeated mistakes through that run.

The post-bye finish includes winnable games against Tennessee and Arizona, but also two more divisional tests against the Chargers, Denver, and Kansas City. Las Vegas can improve substantially without becoming a winning team.

• Week 15: vs DEN.
• Week 16: vs TEN.
• Week 17: @ ARI.

Jeanty's volume remains dependable regardless of matchup, and Bowers remains a weekly start-level player. Tennessee and Arizona can become useful fantasy environments if the offense develops. The late stretch does not create automatic draft value for secondary Raiders who have not established dependable roles.

AFC West Label: Brutal

The label is team-relative. Kansas City, Denver, and the Chargers enter with stronger or more established paths to contention, leaving Las Vegas little margin for an incomplete roster or a slow transition. The Raiders can steal divisional games, but they should not be projected to consistently outperform teams that have already proven more.

Offseason: B

The organizational alignment, coaching plan, veteran bridge, No. 1 pick, and improved scheme fit represent meaningful progress.

Coaching: C+

Kubiak's offensive background is encouraging, but he remains a first-time NFL head coach.

Quarterback: C+

Cousins supplies veteran competence and Mendoza supplies long-term upside, while recent regression and uncertain timing limit immediate confidence.

Division: Brutal

Las Vegas remains behind stronger and more established AFC West opponents.

Roster: C+

Jeanty, Bowers, Crosby, and Mendoza form a credible foundation, but the complete roster lacks enough proven high-end talent.

Schedule: Brutal

The opponent quality and divisional burden leave little room for a developing team to lose manageable games.

Projected Record: 6-11

Six wins would represent meaningful progress from 3-14 without overstating how close the Raiders are to contention.

Final Locked Playoff Odds™: 8%

Tier: Extreme Long Shot

Las Vegas is improved from 3-14 and finally has a coherent organizational plan. Jeanty and Bowers are legitimate high-level offensive building blocks, Cousins raises the immediate quarterback floor, and Mendoza gives the franchise a future.

The roster remains incomplete. The receiver room lacks a proven alpha, the defense remains unproven beyond Crosby, and the AFC West is brutal for this specific team. The difficult schedule leaves little margin for a slow start or an extended adjustment period under a first-time head coach.

The final result reflects the approved grades and the full difficult schedule context. It recognizes meaningful organizational improvement without treating a six-win projection as established playoff contention.

• Draft Jeanty near the Round 1-2 turn as a foundational back with volume, receiving ability, and improved scheme fit.
• Target Bowers in Rounds 2-3 as an elite positional difference-maker while respecting the defensive attention created by the receiver room.
• Use Tucker only as a disciplined Rounds 14-16 Flex-depth flyer rather than inflating him into an alpha role.
• Keep Cousins, Mendoza, Bech, Benson, Nailor, and Washington on the watch list until role or performance creates a stronger reason to invest.
• Trust the concentrated core and make the rest of the Raiders earn draft capital.