While the resounding feeling is that Kirk Cousins will open the season as the starting quarterback for the Raiders, the team still hasn't officially named a starter. The team’s head coach Kilint Kubiak avoided announcing their starting quarterback decision the morning following its final preseason game, saying “I still don’t think we need to name anybody.”
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Cousins Keeps Projections Steady
After going first overall in the NFL draft this past April, it’s no secret that Mendoza is the Raiders' projected franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future.
In his senior season, he joined Cam Newton, Kyler Murray, and Baker Mayfield as the only first overall picks to average at least 25.0 fantasy points per game (PPG) and 10.0 adjusted yards per attempt.
But as it stands today, with essentially no development time for Mendoza, there’s a strong possibility that Kirk Cousins is the best quarterback on this roster.
Mendoza struggled mightily in his first preseason, posting just 3.8 adjusted yards per attempt and a sub-2.5% passing TD rate paired with a 4.4% interception rate.
Cousins has struggled over the past couple years, failing to get to the 20.0 PPG mark he’d achieved in three of the four seasons prior.
But with a proven track record of being able to support high-scoring fantasy options, if Cousins opens the season as the starting QB, Bowers and Jeanty will remain top projections at their positions.
