Fantasy Football News

Raiders beat writer Ryan McFadden writes that WR Malik Benson "has made a strong case for meaningful snaps" this season.

ESPN’s Ryan McFadden writes that “Brock Bowers' connection has looked strong” with QB Kirk Cousins. HC Klint Kubiak named Cousins his starter heading into training camp.

Raiders HC Klint Kubiak singled out WR Tre Tucker while discussing the team's WR room, calling him a quiet leader whose hard work and play style have rubbed off on the younger WRs. Tucker, a 2023 third-round pick with blazing 4.40 speed, now has the longest Raiders tenure of any WR on the team.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Oregon WR Malik Benson in Round 6 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Benson starred for two seasons at Hutchinson Community College and left as the school’s all-time leader in receiving yards (2,152). That breakout caught Nick Saban’s eye and earned him a transfer to Alabama. But the jump in competition crushed the production. Benson wound up seventh on the Tide in catches (13) and sixth in receiving yards (162). A 2024 move to Florida State found only marginal improvement (25-311-1), due at least in part to poor QB play. Benson bounced back this past season at Oregon, leading the team with 719 receiving yards and finishing second to TE Kenyon Sadiq with 43 catches and 6 TDs. His 2.60 yards per route ranked seventh among the 49 WRs invited to this year’s Combine. Benson averaged 16.7 yards per catch for the Ducks and confirmed that big-play ability with a 4.37-second 40 time at the Combine. He’s undersized at 189 pounds, though, and enters the NFL as an unrefined 23-year-old.

Raiders rookie WR Jack Bech played a season-high 82% of the snaps in Sunday's loss to the Broncos. He also drew a team-high six targets, catching all of them for 50 yards. That set season highs for Bech in each of those categories. TE Brock Bowers followed with a 4-46 receiving line on five targets. WR Tyler Lockett posted a 3-41 on four targets. WR Tre Tucker caught two of five targets for 24 yards.

Raiders TE Michael Mayer (ankle) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Chargers. He’s averaged 5.0 targets across his last three healthy games, so his absence is a boost to TE Brock Bowers and WR Tre Tucker.

The Raiders fired OC Chip Kelly. He became the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL back in February and winds up lasting just 11 games. Vegas ranks 31st in points per game (15.0), 30th in total yards per game (268.9) and 30th in offensive EPA (-77.8). In Kelly's defense, QB Geno Smith has played poorly for most of the season, the offensive line is trash, and TE Brock Bowers was banged up for most of the first two months. The QB play and offensive line aren't changing the rest of the way, so Kelly's departure is unlikely to matter for fantasy football purposes. The Raiders have not yet named an interim OC.

The Jaguars are trading fourth- and sixth-round picks to the Raiders for WR Jakobi Meyers. The move comes amid multiple WR injury situations that Jacksonville is navigating.

Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers (knee, toe) is inactive for today’s game vs. the Chiefs. That leaves Tre Tucker as Vegas’ No. 1 WR, with rookies Jack Bech and D’Onte Thornton behind him. Tucker is the only bankable fantasy play here.

Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers (knee, toe) missed his second straight practice on Thursday. He's seemingly in legitimate danger of missing this weekend's game vs. the Chiefs. Meyers' absence would boost the target ceilings on WR Tre Tucker and TE Michael Mayer.

The Raiders got blown out Sunday in a way that should have been good for passing production (or at least volume). But WR Jakobi Meyers managed just 4 receptions for 32 yards on six targets. WR Tre Tucker matched those six targets and 4 catches, totaling 62 yards. They tied TE Albert Okwuegbunam for second on the team in targets, with RB Ashton Jeanty leading the way at seven -- despite sitting out the whole fourth quarter.

Raiders WR Tre Tucker caught 8 of 9 targets for 145 yards and 3 TDs. He had a TD 10-yard TD in the second quarter before the game got out of hand. Garbage time TDs of 10 and 61 yards while the game was out of reach propped up his stat line. Even so, he should be a hot waiver commodity this week.

QB Geno Smith threw for 362 yards in his regular-season debut for the Raiders, with 1 TD and 1 INT. Smith connected on 24 of 34 passes, with WR Jakobi Meyers and TE Brock Bowers predictably his top targets. He also took four sacks and scrambled once. (Smith's other "rushing attempt" came on a game-ending kneel down.)

WR Amari Cooper has informed the Raiders that he's retiring, NFL Network reports. The decision comes just a little over a week after Cooper re-joined the team that drafted him back in 2015. It was a quick fall for Cooper, who went for 1,250 yards in 2023 before totaling just 547 yards between stints with the Browns and Bills last year.

Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers (ankle) is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game vs. the Rams. So the Raiders will again roll with WRs Tre Tucker, D.J. Turner, Kristian Wilkerson, and Alex Bachman. Try to avoid that group in fantasy lineups. TE Brock Bowers should be in for a ton of targets again.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the Raiders are finalizing a deal to send WR Davante Adams to the Jets for a conditional draft pick that could become a second-rounder at peak.

Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers (ankle) is inactive for today’s game vs. the Steelers. He joins WR Davante Adams on the sidelines, leaving Vegas without its top two WRs. TE Brock Bowers and TE Tre Tucker are the team’s best target bets today.