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Fernando Mendoza Called an "Ascending Player" by Head Coach
Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza took over on the second drive of the team's preseason opening loss to the Cardinals, and in almost three full quarters of action, he completed 10-of-16 attempts for 97 yards and a touchdown pass to second-year receiver Jack Bech. After the game, he drew the praise of his head coach. "I see an ascending player," Klint Kubiak told reporters on Thursday night. "We just got to keep getting better." While the first overall pick of the 2026 Draft showed promise in his first NFL action, he was quick to look for areas of improvement, reflecting on his night by saying, "It showed me that I need to grow a lot... I'm definitely [watching the game film] after this. I have nothing else to do tonight." Veteran Kirk Cousins looked sharp in his first start with the team, completing 5-of-6 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown of his own, but recent reports out of Raiders camp have suggested that Mendoza could see regular-season work earlier than initially expected. At RotoBaller's QB29, the rookie is not worthy of selection in single-quarterback leagues, but he's an ideal upside swing as a third quarterback in superflex formats.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
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