Raiders Eye Draft Position as Season Spirals: Week 15 Becomes a Waiting Game in Vegas
At this point in the season, the Las Vegas Raiders aren’t chasing playoff dreams-they’re playing for pride, progress, and, whether they say it out loud or not, draft position. After seven straight losses, the Silver and Black head into Week 15 with more questions than answers, and a road trip to face the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles isn’t exactly the soft landing spot they'd hope for.
Sure, this is the NFL, where chaos is always just a kickoff away. A snow game in Philly with a backup quarterback under center?
Stranger things have happened. But realistically, the odds are stacked against the Raiders.
And for fans already looking ahead to April, that might not be the worst thing.
The Spoiler Role vs. the Long Game
Inside the locker room, the focus remains on competing hard and trying to knock off a struggling Eagles team that's dropped three straight. That’s the competitor’s mindset, and you’d expect nothing less from guys like Maxx Crosby, who never takes a play off. But for Raider Nation, there’s a different kind of scoreboard to watch this weekend-the one that shapes the 2026 NFL Draft.
Right now, Las Vegas holds the No. 2 overall pick. But with a little help, they could climb-or fall, depending on your perspective-to the top of the draft board by the end of Sunday.
The Three-Game Combo That Could Change Everything
To leapfrog into the No. 1 spot, the Raiders need three key results to go their way:
- Eagles over Raiders
- Giants over Commanders
- Titans over 49ers
Here’s why it matters: The Giants and Titans are fellow two-win teams. If both manage to pull off victories while the Raiders fall in Philly, Las Vegas would stand alone with the worst record in the league. That’s the golden ticket for a franchise that may be eyeing a franchise quarterback or a generational talent come draft day.
Bonus Results That Help the Cause
Even if the top three games break the wrong way, there’s still a full slate of matchups that could tilt the draft board in the Raiders' favor. These outcomes would either soften Las Vegas’ strength of schedule-used as a tiebreaker in draft order-or push other QB-hungry teams further down the board:
- Saints over Panthers
- Cardinals over Texans
- Jets over Jaguars
- Bills over Patriots
- Seahawks over Colts
- Packers over Broncos
- Lions over Rams
- Vikings over Cowboys
- Dolphins over Steelers
- Browns over Bears
- Bengals over Ravens
Each of these games adds a layer of intrigue for fans keeping tabs on the long-term rebuild. Every unexpected win by a bottom-tier team gives the Raiders a little more breathing room in the race to the top of the draft.
The Chiefs Factor: Week 18 Implications
There’s one more game to keep an eye on, even if it doesn’t directly impact the draft order: Chiefs over Chargers.
Why? If Kansas City stays alive in the playoff hunt, they’ll have something to play for in Week 18.
That matters because the Raiders close their season against the Chiefs. If KC has already locked up their spot, there’s a good chance they’ll rest starters-potentially giving Las Vegas a better shot at a win that could complicate their draft positioning.
But if the Chiefs are still fighting for seeding, the Raiders might face a full-strength opponent, which could keep the loss column intact.
One Eye on the Field, One on the Future
The Falcons already did their part by beating the Bucs on Thursday night, giving the Raiders a small early win in the draft race. Now, it's up to the rest of the weekend to play out.
For the players, it’s about finishing strong and showing they belong in this league. For the front office and fans, it’s about watching the scoreboard-not just in Philly, but across the NFL. The path to the No. 1 pick is still wide open, and Week 15 could be a turning point in more ways than one.
So buckle up, Raider Nation. The games still matter-just maybe not in the way we expected back in September.