Fernando Mendoza Fantasy Stats

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza got his first professional start in Thursday night's preseason matchup with the Texans, and on the team's opening drive, he threw an interception to rookie linebacker Wade Woodaz that was returned 80 yards for a touchdown. Playing the entire first half, the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft led four more drives, resulting in a field goal and three punts before Aidan O'Connell took over in the second half and managed a come-from-behind victory. Along with a handful of starters, veteran Kirk Cousins was given the night off following a productive joint practice with the Texans, but after the game, head coach Klint Kubiak declined to name a starter for the regular season. "We got another week. I don't want anyone to be comfortable in their job... It should always be that way for all positions. So, let's keep going." Barring an unforeseen surprise, Mendoza will begin his rookie campaign backing up Cousins. Still, he has reportedly impressed behind the scenes and could find the field earlier than initially projected, making him an intriguing late-round pick in superflex leagues as RotoBaller's QB29.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to play roughly the first half of Thursday night's preseason game against the Houston Texans, according to Adam Schefter. Aidan O'Connell is expected to take over for the second half. Mendoza got an extended look in the opener against Arizona, completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown over four drives. The Raiders have kept adding to his workload since then. He saw valuable snaps against Houston's first-team defense during Tuesday's joint practice, while Kirk Cousins continued to handle the bulk of the first-team work. Head coach Klint Kubiak has been clear that Mendoza needs reps, and Thursday should give the No. 1 overall pick plenty more. Cousins still sits ahead of him, but Mendoza is getting a longer runway in these preseason games as Las Vegas continues bringing its rookie quarterback along before Week 1.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza put up solid numbers in his preseason debut against the Cardinals, and on Tuesday he was given first-team reps against the Houston Texans defense during joint practice. Still, he acknowledges that he has plenty of room for growth. In a SportsCenter segment following practice, ESPN's Ryan McFadden points to Mendoza's timing and anticipation as areas that the coaching staff is looking for improvement, noting head coach Klint Kubiak's attention to detail on a play-to-play basis. The coaching staff has reportedly been impressed by the work ethic of the first overall pick, and there is confidence that Mendoza will make the necessary strides as he gets more time on task, with extended reps expected for him in Thursday night's preseason matchup with the Texans.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza got extensive reps with the first-team offense on Tuesday during the team's joint practice with the Houston Texans, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic. Veteran Kirk Cousins would go first, but Mendoza subbed in for a few team periods. The first overall pick from Indiana is gaining steam to potentially steal the starting gig from Cousins to begin the 2026 regular season, and he looked like a future star in his NFL debut in last Thursday's preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals, going 10-for-16 passing for 97 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. He also had six yards rushing. Cousins will most likely open the year as the Raiders' starter under center, but if Mendoza continues to impress, he will get his shot sooner rather than later. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues must still temper expectations, as Mendoza could face a steep learning curve with a weak collection of receivers if he is making starts in 2026.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza showed some promising traits during the 27-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night. While completing 10 of his 16 pass attempts for 97 yards and a touchdown, Mendoza also flashed his willingness to run with two carries for six yards. His touchdown pass went to sophomore wide receiver Jack Bech, whom he hit on a quick slant that split two defenders with perfect ball placement for the six-yard score. Mendoza showed confidence and decisiveness on most plays, but also left room for improvement in his first preseason game. As RotoBaller's QB29 overall, it's only a matter of time before Mendoza gets a true chance to exceed expectations in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza took over on the second drive of the team's preseason opening loss to the Cardinals, and in almost three full quarters of action, he completed 10-of-16 attempts for 97 yards and a touchdown pass to second-year receiver Jack Bech. After the game, he drew the praise of his head coach. "I see an ascending player," Klint Kubiak told reporters on Thursday night. "We just got to keep getting better." While the first overall pick of the 2026 Draft showed promise in his first NFL action, he was quick to look for areas of improvement, reflecting on his night by saying, "It showed me that I need to grow a lot... I'm definitely [watching the game film] after this. I have nothing else to do tonight." Veteran Kirk Cousins looked sharp in his first start with the team, completing 5-of-6 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown of his own, but recent reports out of Raiders camp have suggested that Mendoza could see regular-season work earlier than initially expected. At RotoBaller's QB29, the rookie is not worthy of selection in single-quarterback leagues, but he's an ideal upside swing as a third quarterback in superflex formats.

The Las Vegas Raiders are facing a real quarterback battle between veteran Kirk Cousins and first overall pick Fernando Mendoza, according to Vincent Bonsignore. Bonsignore said he still believes Cousins will be the starter in 2026, "but it's not etched in stone. Fernando has a real chance to win the job." Most have speculated that the team would let Mendoza sit behind veteran Cousins and develop before throwing him into the fire. Reports from Raiders training camp indicate that Cousins has held off Mendoza in the competition and that the rookie has struggled. While Cousins was listed as the QB1 on the team's unofficial depth chart over Mendoza, a strong preseason from the rookie could force the Raiders to start the National Championship-winning quarterback in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza is "expected to get plenty of experience in Thursday's preseason opener against the Cardinals," according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com. Mendoza, who was selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft after winning the NCAA football national championship at Indiana, will have a valuable opportunity to get acclimated to the NFL with meaningful preseason reps. At this time, he's not expected to start Week 1 of the regular season. Still, preseason action will at least give fantasy managers a chance to see Mendoza play alongside Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty, Jack Bech, and Jalen Nailor. His redraft stock is a bit iffy given the fact that there's no timetable for the Raiders to turn from Kirk Cousins to Mendoza, but the 22-year-old is much more appealing in dynasty leagues where he ranks as the QB17.

With Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins held out of Saturday's practice as discipline for his scuffle with Maxx Crosby the previous day, first overall pick Fernando Mendoza saw his most extensive work with the first-team offense, and the rookie impressed with his mobility from under center, according to team reporter Levi Edwards. Mendoza has made an early impression on those in the building, with quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan telling reporters, "He's a very diligent, tireless worker... Everything that has been said, that's been portrayed about him as far as the type of young man he is, is true and then some." Given his first real chance to run the offense, Mendoza had the ups and downs typical of a first-year player, but he displayed NFL arm talent and demonstrated a level of comfort in the pocket that resulted in a handful of positive plays. As RotoBaller's QB29, Mendoza is worth a dart throw as a third quarterback in redraft superflex leagues, and his dynasty appeal is obvious with what looks to be a bright future ahead of him.

After months of intense scouting, the Las Vegas Raiders selected quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, and the early returns have been exactly what the team both hoped for and expected, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, who reports that the 22-year-old has been "living in the building as a tireless, football-obsessed worker." Mendoza is still working primarily with the second-team offense behind presumed early-season starter Kirk Cousins, but Breer points out both his ability to bounce back from bad plays and his natural feel for picking up the unblocked defender as veteran-like traits that could soon see him folding in more with the ones. How soon Mendoza takes over as a full-time starter will likely come down to his own readiness and how prepared the team is to support him, but early signs indicate that he is more than capable of handling his own end, making him a worthwhile third quarterback target in deep bench superflex leagues.