The Las Vegas Raiders get absolutely no respect around the league, from fans or opposing franchises. And based on the way that the majority of the last 25 NFL seasons have gone for them, it is hard to argue with those who need to see it before they believe it with the Silver and Black.
Perhaps Raider Nation sounds like the boy who cried wolf to other NFL fanbases, as it is an annual habit to swear that the coming season will be different. That the team has finally figured out the formula, and it will return to its glory days. That the dog days are over. But that hasn't come yet.
So, despite a widely-celebrated offseason, Las Vegas isn't getting the benefit of the doubt heading into the 2026 NFL season. In fact, several NFL experts and writers are counting the Raiders out or writing wins over them in pen on the calendar for the upcoming year already.
Slew of NFL experts are circling Las Vegas Raiders as easy game on their teams' calendars
FanSided polled its experts and writers for each dedicated NFL team site about the 2026 NFL schedule release. They were asked questions about their team's easiest and hardest stretches, easiest and hardest matchups, revenge games, games of the year and emotional face-offs.
Not only does nobody want revenge on Las Vegas or consider them a "game of the year," but several pegged the Raiders as their easiest matchup. A few have even seemingly chalked up the game's result already.
Dawg Pound Daily's Ryan O'Leary tabbed Las Vegas as the easiest game on the Cleveland Browns' schedule.
"Week 12 vs. the Las Vegas Raiders," O'Leary answered. "The Browns will be coming off a bye and get this one at home. Todd Monken should have his program fully established by that point in the season, and the Raiders are in the Browns' weight class."
Bolt Beat's Grant Bellchamber had the same response for the Los Angeles Chargers.
"Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders should be the easiest on the Chargers' schedule," Bellchamber wrote. "If Kirk Cousins takes the starting job out of the gate and their reassembled offense takes a few weeks to get going, the Chargers should be able to roll their rivals pretty easily before they enter their most brutal stretch of the season."
Although pretty fair game, Phin Phanatic's Brian Miller chose the Raiders as the lowly Miami Dolphins' easiest game, even though they'll be traveling to Las Vegas.
"The Raiders may be the easiest game for the Dolphins to win," Miller wrote. "The Week 1 game could feature rookie Fernando Mendoza making his NFL debut. With it being week one, Miami won't have to deal with him adjusting to the league later in the season."
And then, of course, there was Niner Noise's Peter Panacy, who disrespected the Silver and Black in true San Francisco 49ers fan or media fashion.
"Week 9 versus the Raiders (is the 49ers' easiest game)," Panacy wrote. "It comes after San Francisco's bye... and it's the Raiders."
At least 12th Man Rising's Lee Vowell wasn't as harsh as Panacy. Vowell explained that the Raiders are simply part of a favorable stretch for the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, and it is hard to argue with him.
"The Seahawks' easiest stretch comes nearly smack in the middle of the season," Vowell explained. "In Week 9, the Seahawks play at home against the Arizona Cardinals, go on the road against a rebuilding Las Vegas Raiders team, and then get a bye week. The rest will be needed for the second half of the season."
Now, again, it is easy to see why folks would write off Las Vegas, as they were the NFL's worst team a season ago. But folks can't ignore the offseason upgrades that the Raiders made and act like this is the same old team. At least Titan Sized's Justin Melo sees a potentially tough matchup for the Titans.
"@ Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16 (is the Titans' most difficult game)," Melo wrote. "Late season travel."
Brandon Ray from BuffaLowDown also believes that the Buffalo Bills are at a stark disadvantage when they travel to Las Vegas in Week 6 to take on the Raiders.
"A major disadvantage the Bills have is from Week 5 to Week 6. They will be playing on Monday Night Football in Week 5 against the Rams, and then they are going to be in Las Vegas six days later to take on the Raiders," Ray noted. "Buffalo will have to decide if they will stay out on the west coast for the whole week and be away from familiarity, or fly back out to Buffalo and fly out to Vegas just a few days later."
While some seem to at least have some peripheral respect for the Silver and Black, most teams are licking their chops seeing Las Vegas on the calendar. All the Raiders can do to prove them wrong or change this perception is to go out and win, or compete hard, at the very least.
Until then, this team will be the butt of every joke in the league. Raider Nation knows, however, that the tide is turning, and soon, the shoe will be on the other foot. But Las Vegas will have to take its medicine until that day comes.
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