RADIO
Tre Tucker Earns WR3/Flex Consideration on Workload
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker earns WR3/flex consideration in Week 8 on the strength of his workload. The Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver drew 19 targets in Weeks 6 and 7 after totaling 28 through his first five contests, and he played a season-high 82% of the offensive snaps against the Los Angeles Rams. That game also brought a season-high 12 targets, and he caught five passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, following a 97-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Buffalo Bills. The three touchdowns he scored in those two games are the lesser story next to that increased involvement. The Raiders trailed 28-6 at halftime, contributing to a pass-heavy approach, and Tucker caught fewer than half his targets, but head coach Klint Kubiak has confirmed that Kirk Cousins will remain the starter against the New York Jets, preserving the quarterback situation behind Tucker's production.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jalen Nailor Not Worth Rostering Despite Preseason Hope
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor joined the Las Vegas Raiders this past offseason after serving as a productive third WR on the Minnesota Vikings, but he has yet to see meaningful production this year. There was speculation that Jalen Nailor could have a major role, or even enter the season as the Raiders' top wide receiver. In five fully healthy games, Nailor has 20 targets, but has only hauled in eight of them. There are multiple solid receiving options ahead of Nailor in the pecking order, including tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, as well as wide receiver Tre Tucker, who has taken a large step forward this season. Nailor has a target share of only 11.2% in his healthy games and has only been able to produce an average of 3.1 fantasy points per game. Jalen Nailor has not lived up to his preseason expectations and will likely not be worth rostering for the remainder of the season.
Source: Fantasy Points
Source: Fantasy Points
Jack Bech Could Return From Injured Reserve This Week
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said on Wednesday that there is a chance that wide receiver Jack Bech (forearm) is activated from Injured Reserve this week, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN. The Raiders opened Bech's 21-day practice window to return from IR on Monday. The 33-year-old second-year wideout has been sidelined since fracturing his right forearm in the Week 3 win over the New Orleans Saints. In three games this year before his injury, Bech was not very involved in Vegas' passing attack, catching only five of his six targets for 48 yards and one touchdown. When he returns, potentially this Sunday against the New York Jets on the road, he will be competing for targets alongside Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor. Another thing to consider is that fellow wideout Dont'e Thornton Jr. was activated from IR this week, so Bech will still be fighting an uphill battle for playing time in his sophomore campaign in an offense that has been dominated by tight end Brock Bowers. Bech is not currently rostered in any Yahoo leagues and is not a lock to play this weekend.
Source: ESPN.com - Ryan McFadden
Source: ESPN.com - Ryan McFadden
Dont'e Thornton Jr. Activated from Injured Reserve
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (hamstring) is being activated from Injured Reserve, per ESPN's Ryan McFadden. Thornton Jr. has not yet played in 2026 due to a hamstring injury that he suffered during training camp, but it appears he could make his season debut in Week 8 against the New York Jets. A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Thornton Jr. recorded 10 catches for 135 yards on 30 targets across 15 games as a rookie last season. While the 23-year-old's numbers don't jump off the page, he should have a much healthier offensive environment around him in Las Vegas this season. The Raiders also lack an obvious WR2 behind Tre Tucker, although the team obviously has star tight end Brock Bowers as the number one option in their passing game. In deeper fantasy leagues, Thornton Jr. could be worth stashing off the waiver wire upon his injury return.
Source: ESPN - Ryan McFadden
Source: ESPN - Ryan McFadden
Kirk Cousins Remains a Strong Weekly Play
One of the most surprisingly consistent fantasy producers of the 2026 season, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins has reached at least 19.5 fantasy points in six of his last seven outings, including a usable Week 7 performance in which he threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Rams. While outside rumblings are growing louder about the eventual debut of first overall pick Fernando Mendoza, head coach Klint Kubiak has maintained that Cousins is his starting quarterback, and until that change is imminent, he remains a strong weekly play. Las Vegas faces the New York Jets in Week 8, fresh off a loss to the Dolphins in which quarterback Malik Willis posted one of the highest QBRs of the season on his way to a QB4 finish. While Cousins doesn't offer the same rushing floor, he still leads the NFL with 16 passing touchdowns, and his 1,877 passing yards through seven weeks trail only Matthew Stafford and Jordan Love.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Michael Mayer Still Worth Stashing Despite Quiet Week 7
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer has recorded 31 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown through seven games. Mayer surpassed 80 receiving yards against Kansas City in Week 4 and Buffalo in Week 6 before cooling off with three catches for 32 yards against the Rams on Sunday. He played 82% of the offensive snaps in Week 7, as Las Vegas continues using both Mayer and Brock Bowers in multiple-tight-end formations. Mayer has enough opportunity to warrant a roster spot even with Bowers healthy, but his inconsistent targets make him a risky Week 8 starter against the Jets.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mike Washington Jr. a Top Add Ahead of Potential Breakout in Las Vegas
Across seven games in 2026, Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. has recorded 206 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 43 touches. The 23-year-old has reached 10 touches in just two of his seven games played, a trend that could continue as long as Raiders RB1 Ashton Jeanty remains healthy. However, Jeanty has had major issues as a rusher in 2026, as he's averaging just 3.1 yards per carry and has not reached 30 rushing yards in a game since Week 4. Washington Jr. has been significantly more efficient on the ground (4.9 yards per carry) and could start to steal early-down work from Jeanty. Additionally, Washington Jr. carries major upside in the event of an injury to Jeanty. Coming out of Week 7, Washington Jr. profiles as a high-end handcuff running back for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jack Bech Expected to Return to Practice this Week
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech (forearm) is expected to return to practice this week, per ESPN's Ryan McFadden. Bech has been on Injured Reserve since suffering a broken forearm in Week 3, but he appears to be nearing a return to at least the practice field. Across three games before the injury, Bech recorded five catches for 48 yards and a touchdown on six targets. A second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Bech has played a limited role as a pass-catcher to this point in his career with the Raiders. Still, his presence could take a few targets away from fellow Raiders wideout Tre Tucker. Tucker has played extremely well lately, recording 10 catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns on 19 targets over the last two weeks. Fantasy managers relying on Tucker may want to monitor Bech's status heading into the Raiders' Week 8 matchup against the New York Jets.
Source: ESPN - Ryan McFadden
Source: ESPN - Ryan McFadden
Raiders Sticking With Kirk Cousins at QB Going into Week 8
After saying that the team would consider all options after their Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, including at the quarterback position, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said on Monday that "Kirk Cousins is our starting quarterback. There is no controversy. He is playing at a very high level," according to Paul Gutierrez of ESPN. After a surprising 3-0 start to the season, the Raiders have now lost four in a row as they head into a Week 8 battle on the road against the New York Jets. The 38-year-old Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, has so far held off first overall pick Fernando Mendoza by completing 62.6% of his pass attempts for 1,877 yards, a league-high 16 touchdown passes, and only five interceptions in seven starts. His 1,877 passing yards are third in the league. Vegas' ground game has done nothing to help Cousins, who does not exactly have a great cast of receivers to work with outside of tight end Brock Bowers. The Raiders expect Mendoza to "play at some point" in his rookie season, but Cousins will get at least one more start this weekend in a smash spot against the Jets. Cousins threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's loss to the Rams, and he has gone over 300 yards passing twice. He has multiple passing TDs in all but one of his seven games to this point.
Source: ESPN.com - Paul Gutierrez
Source: ESPN.com - Paul Gutierrez
Raiders Considering Naming Fernando Mendoza the Starter
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said the team is evaluating everything, including whether to make rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza the starter. Following their 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Kubiak was asked about a quarterback change and said the team needs to evaluate its personnel, scheme, and offensive struggles. In seven games, veteran Kirk Cousins has completed 161 of 257 passes for 1,877 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions. While Cousins has played solidly, the Raiders are on a four-game losing streak, and it's only a matter of time before they name the first-overall pick the starting quarterback. Fantasy managers should monitor the situation ahead of Week 8, as Mendoza could become a QB2 option in most formats if named the starter.
Source: Adam Schefter - ESPN
Source: Adam Schefter - ESPN
Tre Tucker Has Big Day in Loss to Rams
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker recorded five catches for 103 yards (20.6 yards per reception) and a touchdown in a 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7. Tucker played 56 out of 68 (82.35%) offensive snaps and led the team in receiving yards and targets (12). Tucker has now scored three combined touchdowns over the past two games. Sunday marked the second time in 2026 that Tucker has surpassed 100 receiving yards in a game (119 yards in Week 2) and the sixth consecutive game in which he tallied at least four receptions. Tucker is becoming a consistent fantasy football option and will remain heavily involved in the Raiders' passing game moving forward. Tucker is currently available in 42% of Yahoo Leagues.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Ashton Jeanty Salvages Value with Receiving Work
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty was unable to get anything going on the ground during Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams. Jeanty put together his worst performance of the season on the ground. The rookie back carried the ball eight times for 15 yards in the loss. He was able to salvage his fantasy value by hauling in all eight of his targets for 61 yards and a touchdown through the air. Jeanty has heavily struggled on the ground lately, but his work in the receiving game has saved him. Jeanty has seen six or more targets in four straight games. He should remain a solid RB2 option as long as he continues to see a high volume in the passing game next week.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Raiders Won't Commit to Kirk Cousins for Week 8
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak fielded questions from the media about the potential of starting rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza in the near future, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic. Asked when he would start thinking about making a change at quarterback, Kubiak said, "I think at this point, we're thinking about everything. How to fix our problems, how to fix our issues in the red zone, in the third quarter. Personnel, scheme, we've got to talk about all of it." The first-year head coach didn't directly offer a timeline for the shift from Kirk Cousins to Mendoza, but he also didn't commit to Cousins starting in Week 8. Cousins led the Raiders to a 3-0 start, but the team has gone 0-4 in four games since then. Mendoza saw a little bit of action in Week 6 during garbage time against the Patriots, completing six of his eight pass attempts for 48 yards. Cousins hasn't looked terrible by any means, racking up 16 touchdowns and just five interceptions through seven games, but a quarterback change might inject life into the team amid a four-game losing streak. The plan all along was for Mendoza to spend around half the season learning behind Cousins, so it feels like a natural transition point could be coming soon. The Raiders will hit the road for a two-game road trip before returning home against the Seahawks on Nov. 15 in Week 10.
Source: Sam Warren
Source: Sam Warren
Mike Washington Jr. Active vs. Rams
Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. (foot/back) is active against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7, The Athletic's Sam Warren reported via the X platform. Washington was limited in practices during the week with foot and back injuries and was listed as questionable heading into the weekend. The fourth-round pick from the 2026 draft has taken on more responsibility as the season has progressed, backing up Ashton Jeanty as the RB1 struggles with efficiency. Washington has 34 carries for 168 yards this season.
Source: Sam Warren via X.com
Source: Sam Warren via X.com
Mike Washington Jr. a Game-Time Decision for Week 7
Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. (foot, back) is expected to be a game-time decision for Sunday's Week 7 contest against the Los Angeles Rams, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Washington is officially listed as questionable, but there's definitely some concern about his status after he missed practice on both Thursday and Friday. With that being said, Fowler reports that the Raiders have "some optimism" that the rookie will be able to play. He will undergo a pregame workout to confirm his status before the Raiders post their list of inactive players at 2:55 p.m. CDT. Even if Washington does suit up, he'll operate in a backup role behind Ashton Jeanty. Washington doesn't quite have standalone value in fantasy leagues with 14 or fewer teams, but he's a very appealing handcuff to stash on the bench in case Jeanty ever gets hurt.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
