The Raiders are halfway through the 2026 season, and at 4-4, the picture is clear enough to start sorting out what this rookie class has actually become. With eight games in the books and nine still to play, Las Vegas has gotten a decent enough sample to separate the early standouts from the guys still waiting for their moment.
This group was built with 10 draft picks, one undrafted free agent and one later addition, and the early rankings tell a pretty straightforward story: some rookies are already shaping the rotation, some are hanging around the edges, and a few are still trying to get on the field at all.
At the top is Treydan Stukes, who has been a Week 1 starter and, outside of an injury-shortened Week 2 and a Week 3 absence, has been on the field for every defensive snap. He’s had his share of good reps and a few rough ones, but he’s not the problem for this defense. If anything, he looks like a player whose role should keep growing.
Mike Washington Jr. checks in second, and his rise has been hard to miss. He’s been part of the weekly plan all season and now appears to have moved ahead of Ashton Jeanty as the team’s featured running back. Washington Jr. has hit some big plays, held up well enough on a down-to-down basis, and while there’s still work to do as a blocker and receiver, he’s clearly won over both the staff and the fanbase.
Zeke Masses opened the year at the top of this list, but the last stretch has pushed him down to third. His three interceptions early in the season were a huge jolt, but his snap count dipped and his overall impact faded for a while.
He was targeted more, missed some tackles in run support, and yet he seems to be finding his rhythm again. Even with the slide, the long-term outlook still looks strong.
Trey Zuhn III has been one of the quieter risers. He made his first career start at right guard on Sunday and turned in a strong performance after several weeks of steady work as an extra lineman.
He’s also been a reliable piece on special teams all year. If the right guard job is now his to lose, there’s a chance he climbs even higher before the season ends.
Fernando Mendoza lands in the middle of the ranking after just one drive, which says plenty about how much quarterbacks matter. He looked calm, handled pressure, found completions and used his legs. The hope is that he eventually ends up near the top of this list, but for now he’s learning behind Kirk Cousins and making a solid first impression.
Tim Keenan III has only been active twice and is still on the practice squad, but he’s given the middle of the defense a useful lift over the last two weeks. He had a sack and a pressure against the Jets and added two tackles the week before. If that keeps up, the Raiders may not need to search far for help at nose tackle.
Jermod McCoy has stood out on special teams, which is no small thing for a young player with limited experience there. For a Day 3 pick on a .500 team, he’s already showing the kind of effort that matters.
He’s also starting to get defensive reps, even if Sunday was a rougher outing. If this ranking were based purely on upside, he’d be much higher.
Malik Benson, though, hasn’t done much with his opportunities. He’s been used almost entirely as a punt returner and has barely run routes.
As a receiver, he has just two catches on six targets and one carry that went for minus-8 yards. He was a healthy scratch last week, so his arrow is pointing the wrong way.
Cian Slone has been elevated from the practice squad three times, though he’s only been active once, so his path back to the roster depends on a signing to the active squad. Still, he made the most of his Week 8 role, filling Patrick Johnson’s spot with 26 special teams snaps. He was in on a tackle and helped spring Dylan Laube’s 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with a good block.
Dalton Johnson rounds out the list. He’s been a healthy scratch in all but one game and didn’t make much of that chance, but there’s still optimism he can become a core special teamer and maybe even a rotational defensive back down the line. His preseason showed some promise, but the regular-season opportunities just haven’t come yet.
As for the rest of the rookie group, Crawford was placed on injured reserve after the preseason finale, so he won’t be seen until next year. Cleveland was waived on cutdown day, then brought back to the practice squad, but despite having no known health issues, he has not been elevated and has been passed over so far this season.
In Other News...
Kirk Cousins Gave Raiders Fans A New Reason To Love Sunday
Kirk Cousins gave Raiders fans a jolt Sunday in New York, steering a comeback win that felt like the kind of road result this team has been hunting for. After falling behind at halftime, Las Vegas settled in behind Cousins, who topped 200 passing yards and threw three touchdown passes in a 38-33 victory over the Jets, with scoring strikes going to Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer.
The performance also came with a few wrinkles worth watching beyond the final score. Coach Klint Kubiak addressed Ashton Jeantys limited workload, while Mike Washington Jr. handled the heavier lift in the run game and finished with 25 carries for 83 yards, giving the offense a different look as it worked to keep pace and close out the afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Win Sparked A Bigger Ashton Jeanty Question
The Raiders Week 8 win over the Jets brought a little extra attention to Ashton Jeanty, not because of what he did after the game, but because of what he said before it. Klint Kubiak addressed Jeantys pregame comments and made clear the rookies role was not being shaped by anything he said about New York, a useful bit of context for a team still sorting out how it wants to deploy its backfield.
Mike Washington Jr. ended up handling the heavier rushing load, while Jeanty was more involved as a receiver, a split that fit the way the game unfolded in Las Vegas favor. For a player with Jeantys profile, the bigger question now is less about one weeks usage and more about how the Raiders decide to balance his touches as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Escaped With A Win But Their Secondary Has A New Problem
The Raiders left New York with a win in Week 8, but the trip did little to quiet the concerns around a secondary that was under pressure for much of the afternoon. Las Vegas survived a second-half comeback from the Jets, yet the defense spent too much time on its heels, and the issues in coverage were hard to ignore even with the result in hand.
Eric Stokes was at the center of it, as the Jets kept testing the cornerback and found enough success to keep their offense moving. He was not the only one having a rough day in the back end, either, with other Raiders defenders also struggling to slow down New York's passing game. The victory matters in the standings, but the tape will give this coaching staff plenty to sort through before the next game. [Read more 🡒]