Brock Bowers suffered through a Week 1 PCL sprain and bone bruise, yet he still managed 14.7 Fantasy Points Per Game, ranking No. 2 at the position.
Now fully healthy, he returns to Klint Kubiak’s offense that helped him post an impressive 23.6-percent Target Share and 22.2-percent Target Rate despite his health-compromised 2025 season. Raiders team reporter Levi Edwards also reported, “it seems the Raiders’ coaching staff will give TE Brock Bowers every opportunity to replicate his historic rookie campaign.”
The talent profile is undeniable, making him a prime candidate to recapture the overall TE1 crown this year. At just 23-years old, Bowers is an absolute smash in the first round in all fantasy football formats based on position scarcity, especially dynasty leagues.
Although Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando ...
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza might not ...
Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the ...
The Las Vegas Raiders are going through all the right motions giving 37-year-old veteran Kirk Cousins the vast majority of first-team reps in practice, leaning into his experience despite the presence of a true franchise quarterback directly behind him. On paper, it makes sense to have the No. 1 overall pick and reigning Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza—who enters the league boasting an elite 90.3 College QBR and a 94th-percentile 9.3 College Yards Per Attempt—initially sit and cook with the rookies and third-teamers.
The brain trust of Klint Kubiak, John Spytek, and Tom Brady are unified in letting the elite rookie prospect marinate. Once the bullets start flying and Mendoza outperforms Cousins routinely in practice, he will be thrust into the starting lineup at least by the Raiders’ Week 13 bye week, though likely much sooner. The smart money is on Mendoza starting games sooner rather than later.
After waiting until the sixth round to draft a receiver, the Raiders’ starting lineup is likely set with Jalen Nailor, Tre Tucker, and Jack Bech. Nailor is poised to be the featured target in this group and carries legitimate fantasy WR4 potential for the upcoming fantasy season.
Despite this upside, he remains an undervalued late-round option typically drafted outside the top 150 picks. Permission to get excited about Nailor as a late-round spike week flier in both best ball and dynasty formats.
To the surprise of no one, the Las Vegas Raiders selected QB Fernando Mendoza. The Heisman Trophy winner and National Champion from IU will signal an organizational reset with new HC Klint Kubiak.
The arrival of Mendoza should put him on the low-end QB1/high-end QB2 radar and raises the ceiling of the entire offense, including TE Brock Bowers and RB Ashton Jeanty.
Kirk Cousins is the Leverage King, securing his 11th consecutive season of fully guaranteed money. Every NFL player admires Cousins’ cojones. He has orchestrated an absolute masterclass in wealth accumulation, fleecing both the Falcons ($8.7M) and Raiders ($1.3M) for a total of $10 million this year, plus another $10M roster bonus from Las Vegas in 2027.
Even at 38 years old, Cousins is shrewdest negotiator in NFL history, simply biding his time until he hits the open market, demanding fully guaranteed deals, and then moving on to the next mark. Cousins has no fantasy value outside superflex leagues, and even in a 2QB format, he will back-up Fernando Mendoza with a league-bottom wide receiver room in 2026.
Las Vegas Raiders have officially hired Klint Kubiak as their new head coach, the team announced Monday. Kubiak receives a multi-year deal after helping the Seattle Seahawks capture Super Bowl LX as their offensive coordinator.
Kubiak, 39, succeeds Pete Carroll following 3-14 finish in 2025 and becomes the franchise’s sixth head coach since 2021, signaling another reset as Las Vegas looks to rebuild both its offense and overall culture.
Known for his quarterback-friendly system and play action-based attack, Kubiak arrives with the goal of maximizing the team’s young playmakers and stabilizing the quarterback position. Holding the number 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, the Raiders are in prime position to select a franchise cornerstone. Potentially National Champion and Heisman Trophy winner Ferando Mendoza out of Indiana University as the face of the organization moving forward.
Author: Jake Lewis (@Lewylewis5)
