Kirk Cousins makes his return to Minnesota where he threw for 23,000 yards and 171 touchdowns over the course of 6 seasons. He reunites with Justin Jefferson who averaged 98 receiving yards per game with Cousins under center, but only 60 yards per game over the last 2 seasons without him. His points per game has dropped to 12.3 from 20.4 these last 24 games without Cousins so things should turn around now that his former quarterback is under center
Cousins should be an upgrade for a Minnesota offense that ranks 27th in points per game and 31st in passing yards per game. Cousins ranks 12th in yards per attempt and 2nd in passing touchdowns this year so Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson should all see an uptick in production moving forward.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins has been ...
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins should be up to ...
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins did not have his...
The Las Vegas Raiders traded QB Kirk Cousins to the Vikings for a 2027 third-round draft pick. Through 9 games this season, Cousins completed 202 of 315 passes for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. The transaction remains pending Cousins passing a physical.
The trade reunites Cousins with HC Kevin O’Connell, giving a massive boost to star WR Justin Jefferson, WR Jordan Addison, and TE T.J. Hockenson after weeks of QB instability. The trade also provides a much needed lift to the ground-game, benefiting both Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones. For fantasy football managers, Jefferson returns to plug-and-play elite status, while Cousins becomes a top waiver target in standard and Superflex formats. ~Jason Diaz
Coming off a meniscus trim procedure last week, Brock Bowers returned to practice for the first time today in a limited capacity. The “doubtful” designation along with the limited practice suggests he is almost certainly not playing this week, but the Raider coaching staff seems optimistic he can be back in time for the week 3 contest against the Saints. Fantasy football managers will need to continue to watch his status in the coming days.
In Bowers’ absence, Michael Mayer will continue to operate as the team’s undisputed TE1. Against the Dolphins, Mayer was quarterback Kirk Cousins‘ favorite target, leading all pass catchers with seven targets. He also dominated tight end usage with an 81% snap share, and 22 routes run, completly eclipsing teammate Ian Thomas‘ 42% share and 2 routes run.
Kirk Cousins starting Week 1 has always been the expectation, as the Raiders have been open about not wanting to rush Fernando Mendoza into action. Cousins ranked 20th in True Passer Rating in 2025, showing that, while not the QB he once was, he still has enough in the tank to be a capable bridge to the Mendoza era.
Cousins is currently ranked as QB36 on PlayerProfiler’s 2026 Redraft Rankings. While Cousins will begin the year as the starter, he will be hard to trust as a fantasy option due to the lack of proven capable pass catchers beyond all-world TE Brock Bowers. He is best left undrafted in 1QB leagues, but can be drafted in superflex leagues as a bye week or injury fill-in starter.
So you’re saying there’s a chance? Kirk Cousins posted an 83.3-percent True Completion Percentage on his lone drive, capping it with a 13-yard Red Zone touchdown strike to tight end Michael Mayer. Head coach Klint Kubiak maintains Cousins is the clear frontrunner for Week 1 starter duties, yet rookie Fernando Mendoza is now well-positioned to siphon first-team practice reps following a dazzling preseason debut.
The clock is ticking on Cousins, and we will continue to monitor Mendoza’s first-team snaps throughout camp. If Mendoza continues to look undeniable in preseason, Cousins will inevitably step aside and support the franchise rookie’s ascendance as early as Week 1. Mendoza is one of the best-value QB selections in superflex leagues, especially fantasy football dynasty formats.
Kirk Cousins is dominating first-team repetitions this offseason, consolidating his grip on the starting job despite posting just 9.9 Fantasy Points Per Game in 2025. This deployment provides critical development runway for rookie Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick who registered a elite 90.3 College QBR at Indiana.
Unless the landscape shifts when full training camp launches, expect Cousins to operate under center for Week 1 while the high-pedigree rookie watches and learns. Cousins is an early-season option in deep superflex leagues.
