With training camp, preseason and roster cutdowns all now a thing of the past, Las Vegas Raiders fans can finally look forward to Week 1. The 2026 NFL season kicks off at home against the Miami Dolphins, but before we start previewing that game, some in-house matters must be attended to.
Klint Kubiak finally made official what Raider Nation has known for months, which is that Kirk Cousins will be the team's starting quarterback. But the competition that Kubiak and John Spytek are preaching about actually means something, and quarterback was not the only battle this summer.
So, between that, a key injury and the general uncertainty that is innate with a first-time head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator, Las Vegas fans have a lot of questions before Miami comes to town. If we don't get answers before the matchup, the game should provide lots of clarity.
5 burning questions for Las Vegas Raiders to answer ahead of Week 1
Will Ashton Jeanty play? And if so, how much?
Let's start with the obvious. Jeanty's health has been shrouded in mystery ever since he went down at practice a few weeks ago, and while initial reports made it sound like he was done for the year, immediate follow-up info gave fans hope about a quick return. It's been quiet on that front ever since.
Kubiak certainly won't spill anything until he has to, or at all, so Raiders fans are in limbo, wondering if their star running back will even suit up. If he does, the question then becomes whether they'll give him a full workload, or if preseason star Mike Washington Jr. will be called upon to shoulder a lot of it.
Who will start at right guard between Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers?
While Kubiak called the quarterback battle after the preseason, he wasn't eager to do the same at right guard, referring to both players as "starters" and saying that he expects to see both this season. That leaves fans with absolutely zero useful information to make a prediction or know what to expect.
If we do our best to read the tea leaves, we can see that Powers-Johnson started both preseason games in which he was healthy, and Rogers played more snaps than anyone in the finale, which isn't a good sign. So, if I had to bet, I'd say Powers-Johnson starts. But we'll just have to find out, apparently.
What will the wide receiver rotation look like outside of Tre Tucker?
Tucker has solidified himself as the team's No. 1 wide receiver, as he sat out with the other established starters in the second exhibition game. But who will step up alongside him remains to be seen, even if Jalen Nailor and Jack Bech are expected to be the next men up in terms of snap share.
Rookie Malik Benson is a wild card in this room, but the Raiders figure to run 12 personnel a lot and only keep two wideouts on the field, so reps will be hard to come by. Kubiak clearly isn't happy with this unit, so perhaps he gives multiple guys a chance to make a run at the No. 2 job against Miami.
Who will start at CB opposite Eric Stokes between Darien Porter and Zeke Masses?
Porter and Masses have been neck and neck all offseason, and Las Vegas left the preseason without a crystal-clear answer. It sounds like the tide has started to turn in Porter's favor, but it stands to reason that the Silver and Black will rotate a lot at this spot with a young and fairly deep group.
It should and does matter who gets the starting nod, but it'll be interesting to see how long a leash either player gets to play through mistakes, or what the rotation looks like, if there is one. Both players deserve to play, but only one can be featured with Stokes' spot set in stone. Who will it be? We'll see.
What will Rob Leonard's scheme look like?
Leonard got dragged through the mud after the first preseason game, but he showed enough wrinkles in the following weeks to get fans excited about what this defense can be. Actually putting it together and calling a good game when it counts is another level entirely for the first-timer, though.
A lot of eyes will be on Leonard, then, to see how the brand-new play-caller fares against what should be a favorable opponent to start against. There's no reason to panic about the results in the short-term, but the style and approach will be something to take note of in the early going.
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