The Las Vegas Raiders wrapped up the 2026 preseason with an 18-15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in a field-goal fest. But as we know about exhibition games, there's more to the story than the final score.
The Raiders played most of their starters in Thursday's game, though Maxx Crosby, who underwent offseason knee surgery, was an exception. Still, fans at Allegiant Stadium had a glimpse of the key players who will be on the field in the season opener against the Miami Dolphins.
Looking back at all three preseason contests, fans can pick up some very clear themes ahead of the 2026 NFL regular season. Here are five things, in particular, that we learned about the Raiders from those games.
Raiders offense could be run heavy, while the defense figures out how to plug holes
Fernando Mendoza probably won't get much-needed reps early this season
Following the Raiders' preseason finale, head coach Klint Kubiak said that Fernando Mendoza needs more snaps.
"He needs another three preseason games, and all those rookies do. Now that the season is starting, the practice reps get smaller, and that’s just life. But us as coaches, we’ve got to get them ready to play and keep developing.”
Read between the lines. Kubiak doesn't think Mendoza is ready to be under center yet.
The Raiders' lead skipper hasn't named a starting quarterback, but according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Kirk Cousins is expected to start in Week 1, which isn't a shocker given that he's taken a majority of the starting reps.
Mendoza can fine-tune his mechanics and timing with his receivers on the practice field, but he won't fully grasp the speed of regular-season play until the Raiders insert him into the lineup.
Barring a Cousins injury or early-season blowouts, Mendoza will likely sit for a while before he's on the field when the games count in the standings.
On the one hand, Mendoza doesn't have the task of saving a team that went 3-14 last year, but at some point, Kubiak must allow him to learn and grow from his mistakes while in game action.
Mike Washington Jr. should be 1B to Ashton Jeanty
Every time Mike Washington Jr. touches the ball, it seems like he's going to break free for 10-15 yards. He runs with power, and the 49ers found that out on the opening drive when the rookie ball-carrier trucked former Raiders cornerback Jack Jones.
At 6-foot-2, 228 pounds with 4.3 speed, Washington Jr. is more than a backup behind Ashton Jeanty; he can stand alongside him to form a strong running back tandem for years to come.
Of course, general manager John Spytek wants to see his No. 6 overall pick from a year ago play up to his potential, but with Jeanty dealing with an ankle injury, the Raiders may lean on Washington Jr. more than initially expected early in the season.
Kubiak hasn't shared much about Jeanty's injury or his status for Week 1, but Washington Jr. looks more than ready to lead the backfield if necessary. In the preseason, the first-year running back logged 23 carries for 168 yards.
Raiders still need another wide receiver to emerge in the passing game
Entering the regular season, Tre Tucker is the Raiders' lead receiver. He hauled in all five of his targets for 46 yards in two preseason outings. Behind him, it's anyone's guess as to who emerges as the No. 2 wideout.
Jalen Nailor had an underwhelming summer. He caught three of his seven targets for 35 yards in the exhibition contests. Kubiak called him out for a drop that resulted in an interception during the opening quarter of last Thursday's game (h/t The Athletic's Sam Warren)
"I thought that was an excellent throw. He ripped it, just like we asked him to, on time. Yeah, it was a little bit high. Jalen's gotta make a play."
The Raiders signed Nailor to a three-year, $35 million deal to catch those passes.
After the Raiders' preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals, Jack Bech only saw one target. Rookie sixth-rounder Malik Benson struggled to translate his training camp buzz into preseason production. He recorded three receptions for 44 yards in three outings.
Tucker is the front-runner to pace the Raiders' wide receiver group in catches and receiving yards as the best complement to All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers. Don't be surprised if the Raiders add veteran receiver help before their season opener.
Treydan Stukes will play a prominent role in the secondary
Treydan Stukes had a slow start to camp with the second-team defense, but he worked his way into the starting rotation over time. Against the 49ers, the rookie second-rounder took the field with first-stringers over safety Isaiah Pola-Mao.
According to Pro Football Focus, Stukes played 40 of his 90 snaps in center field at free safety and 30 in the box in the preseason.
Although defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator Joe Woods spoke about versatility and the team's plan to move players around in the secondary, Stukes seems primed to play at both safety spots alongside Jeremy Chinn in the starting unit.
Raiders need DT Folorunso Fatukasi for their run defense
Las Vegas signed Folorunso Fatukasi on August 15. Soon after, he took reps with the starting defense, per Warren.
Either Fatukasi made a strong first impression, or the Raiders desperately needed a big body in the middle to plug the run. Perhaps it's a bit of both.
In the preseason, the Raiders gave up 380 rushing yards and a touchdown. According to Pro Football Focus, Fatukasi logged two tackles and a quarterback pressure over 29 defensive snaps.
Yes, Fatukasi just joined the team two weeks ago, but the Raiders need all 6-foot-4, 318 pounds of him to strengthen their run defense. He missed 13 games in the previous campaign because of a season-ending shoulder injury, but the 31-year-old has been a solid rotational run-stuffer for most of his eight-year career.
Moe Moton writes about the Raiders for Just Blog Baby. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.
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