The Las Vegas Raiders open their season against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, with kickoff set for 1:25 pm Pacific on FOX. It’s a matchup that puts two teams in similar territory: new coaches, plenty of young talent, and a season shaped by rebuilding.
For Las Vegas, though, the upside might be a little higher. The Raiders enter with Klint Kubiak taking over as head coach, and the future already points toward the 2026 No. 1 overall pick and quarterback Fernando Mendoza. That gives this season a wide-open feel, and if someone wants to dream big, a surprise playoff run is not completely off the table.
The more grounded view is where the conversation gets interesting. The Raiders’ ceiling, as it stands, looks like eight wins. That may sound ambitious with games looming against the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and the rest of the AFC North twice, but it’s a number that fits if everything clicks.
Kubiak’s wide-zone system could unlock a real offensive punch. The Raiders don’t have a proven outside receiver, but the pieces elsewhere are compelling.
If Kirk Cousins or Mendoza gets solid quarterback play, Ashton Jeanty stays healthy, and rookie Mike Washington Jr. helps fuel the run game, the offense could become dangerous. Then there’s the tight end room, which might be the best in football with Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer.
There’s intrigue on defense too. The Raiders are young there as well, but they have rookies in the secondary who could make things lively, Quay Walker at the second level, and Maxx Crosby coming off the edge. If that group hits its peak, eight wins - maybe even nine - is in play in Kubiak’s first year.
The downside is just as real. Injuries are part of the sport, and for a rebuilding team like Las Vegas, they can hit especially hard. The Raiders don’t have much depth to absorb that kind of blow, and their youth only adds to the risk.
That’s why the floor matters here. The biggest trouble spots are wide receiver, defensive line, and offensive line, especially at guard.
If those areas struggle and the Raiders get buried by the Rams, Seahawks, Bills, and the rest of that schedule, they could end up close to last year’s record. That wouldn’t help momentum heading into 2027, though it could put them in range for a premium draft prize like South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart or Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
In Other News...
Raiders Suddenly Have A Backfield Decision They Didn't Expect
Mike Washington Jr. has gone from a rookie camp curiosity to one of the more interesting developments in Raiders camp, and it happened quickly. The first-year running back has impressed enough in the preseason that general manager John Spytek singled him out as a perfect scheme fit, pointing to the way Washington has handled his opportunities and the efficiency he showed when games started counting toward evaluation.
The bigger wrinkle now is how the backfield gets sorted out while Ashton Jeanty deals with an ankle injury. Washington has been taking first-team snaps in practice, which suggests the Raiders are seriously weighing a larger role for him as they sort through a situation they may not have expected this soon. For a team trying to settle its running game, Washington's rise has turned a depth-chart question into one of the more intriguing decisions left on the table. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders May Need Their Biggest Strength More Than Ever
As the Raiders line up for the upcoming season, one of their clearest advantages sits right in the middle of the defense. A strong interior defensive line gives Las Vegas a place to lean while the roster around it still sorts through some obvious questions, especially in a young secondary that will be asked to grow up quickly. Second-year lineman Tonka Hemingway has been one of the encouraging developments, showing real growth and putting himself in position to compete for a starting job.
That front could wind up being more important than ever if the back end needs extra help early in the season. The coaching staff is planning to rotate defensive linemen to keep everyone fresh, a move that should help the group hold up across four quarters and cover for vulnerabilities elsewhere on the defense. For the Raiders, the plan is simple enough: let one of their strongest units carry more of the load while the rest of the defense comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Leave The Door Open In A QB Battle Fans Cant Ignore
The Raiders entered this stretch with one of the leagues more closely watched quarterback rooms, and John Spytek made it clear the team has no plans to trim it down yet. Las Vegas is keeping Kirk Cousins, Aidan OConnell and Fernando Mendoza on the roster, a move that underscores how much the organization values the competition and the different things each passer brings as the group works through camp and the preseason.
Cousins still sits atop the depth chart as the starter, but the real intrigue is in how the backup spots have settled around him. Spytek pointed to Mendozas development and OConnells preseason showing as reasons the Raiders are comfortable carrying all three, and for now the message is simple: both reserves are prepared to step in if called upon, leaving the rest of the evaluation very much alive. [Read more 🡒]