Fernando Mendoza Fantasy Stats

The Seattle Seahawks D/ST should be a high-end play in Week 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders will roll out rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza for his first career start. Mendoza has very limited regular-season experience to this point. He has been learning behind Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, but now he will not even have Cousins in his ear on the sideline. Seattle's defense has been more inconsistent in 2026 than it was in 2025, but expect head coach Mike Macdonald to trust his defensive backfield to make life hard on Mendoza. During the preseason, Mendoza struggled to read the field, resulting in a couple of head-scratching interceptions. Additionally, there should be plenty of chances for sacks in this game if the defensive backfield can force Mendoza to hold onto the ball too long. This is about as tough a matchup as any for a rookie quarterback, and you can take advantage if you have this defense on your roster. This unit will be without defensive tackle Leonard Williams (stinger) again this week, but is otherwise fully healthy. They are easily a top-five option in Week 10.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be tested in his first career start in Week 10 against the Seattle Seahawks. There is plenty of excitement for the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and first overall draft pick to get his first NFL start after Kirk Cousins was traded to the Minnesota Vikings at the deadline. However, Mendoza has played in just one game this season, completing six of eight pass attempts for 48 yards with no touchdowns. He now faces the top-ranked defense in the league, which has held opposing quarterbacks to 155.1 passing yards per game. The Seahawks have also allowed just nine touchdowns in the air through Week 9, holding two of their last three opponents (the Chiefs and the Cardinals) without a passing touchdown. Mendoza may have a lot going for him in Klint Kubiak's system, but fantasy managers shouldn't rush to start him in standard leagues until he gets more games under his belt. He is a solid deep-league stash and a viable superflex in 2-QB formats, but still a risky asset given his limited track record.

With Kirk Cousins headed to the Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in April's NFL Draft, now takes over as the starter in Vegas, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. There is a lot of optimism in Vegas that Mendoza is very much ready for the opportunity to start. "He's been tearing it up in practice," one source said. The 23-year-old had nine weeks to sit and learn behind Cousins, who played extremely well and threw the second-most touchdown passes (20) in the league. The Raiders did not want to rush their No. 1 overall pick into a starting role too soon, especially as Mendoza transitioned from playing out of the shotgun to under center in the NFL, and the move could pay off handsomely for them if he looks the part sooner rather than later. Mendoza's first test will come in a Week 10 matchup at home against a very tough Seattle Seahawks defense this Sunday. Now that Cousins is out of town, Mendoza will be a top waiver-wire pickup in two-QB superflex leagues and some deep single-QB formats as depth at the position with all kinds of upside.

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis is pleased with the coaching staff's plan to develop rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza and feels "absolutely no pressure whatsoever" to start the first overall pick in this year's draft, according to Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "Today, there's a lot of pressure put on teams when they draft a guy No. 1 that you have to play him right away," Davis said. "That's why I think we were so fortunate to get Kirk Cousins as someone who could bridge the gap and let this young man learn a lot about what football is in the pros, the speed of the game, and the things that have to be done." Davis has been "blown away" by Mendoza's presence off the field while he sits behind Cousins and learns the intricacies of playing QB in the NFL. The Raiders are currently 4-4, and with Cousins playing really well under center, the Raiders are in no rush to bench him in favor of Mendoza. Just like it was before the start of the 2026 season, mostly all of Mendoza's fantasy value in his first year in the league is in dynasty/keeper leagues.

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said the team is evaluating everything, including whether to make rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza the starter. Following their 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Kubiak was asked about a quarterback change and said the team needs to evaluate its personnel, scheme, and offensive struggles. In seven games, veteran Kirk Cousins has completed 161 of 257 passes for 1,877 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions. While Cousins has played solidly, the Raiders are on a four-game losing streak, and it's only a matter of time before they name the first-overall pick the starting quarterback. Fantasy managers should monitor the situation ahead of Week 8, as Mendoza could become a QB2 option in most formats if named the starter.

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak fielded questions from the media about the potential of starting rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza in the near future, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic. Asked when he would start thinking about making a change at quarterback, Kubiak said, "I think at this point, we're thinking about everything. How to fix our problems, how to fix our issues in the red zone, in the third quarter. Personnel, scheme, we've got to talk about all of it." The first-year head coach didn't directly offer a timeline for the shift from Kirk Cousins to Mendoza, but he also didn't commit to Cousins starting in Week 8. Cousins led the Raiders to a 3-0 start, but the team has gone 0-4 in four games since then. Mendoza saw a little bit of action in Week 6 during garbage time against the Patriots, completing six of his eight pass attempts for 48 yards. Cousins hasn't looked terrible by any means, racking up 16 touchdowns and just five interceptions through seven games, but a quarterback change might inject life into the team amid a four-game losing streak. The plan all along was for Mendoza to spend around half the season learning behind Cousins, so it feels like a natural transition point could be coming soon. The Raiders will hit the road for a two-game road trip before returning home against the Seahawks on Nov. 15 in Week 10.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza is still waiting for his first regular-season snap, and Kirk Cousins has done little to open the door for him. The veteran has led Las Vegas to a 3-1 start with 1,026 passing yards and 11 touchdowns, making a change under center difficult to justify right now. Mendoza's preseason didn't make much of a case for speeding up that timetable, either. The No. 1 overall pick completed 25 of 45 passes for 240 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions across three games while adjusting to Klint Kubiak's offense. There is still plenty for dynasty managers to like. Mendoza came out of Indiana after throwing for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns with only six interceptions, completing 72% of his passes. Las Vegas also has young offensive pieces in Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty for him to eventually work with. There is no guarantee Mendoza starts this season, but spending time behind Cousins shouldn't significantly hurt his long-term dynasty appeal. He remains a strong hold in Superflex leagues and a worthwhile taxi-squad stash in one-QB formats, giving dynasty managers the flexibility to be patient with his development.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza will officially back up Kirk Cousins in Sunday's opener against Miami, head coach Klint Kubiak confirmed Friday, according to Sam Gordon. The Raiders' depth chart had already pointed in that direction, listing Mendoza second and Aidan O'Connell third, but Kubiak had stopped short of confirming the order earlier this week. Now there is no question who gets the call if Cousins has to leave the game. Mendoza had an uneven preseason, completing 25 of 45 passes for 240 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions across three appearances. That was enough for the No. 1 overall pick to secure the backup spot while Las Vegas continues bringing him along behind its veteran starter. Nothing changes for Mendoza in standard redraft leagues, where he belongs on the waiver wire for now. He is much more interesting in dynasty and deeper Superflex formats, particularly with a clear path to the field if Cousins struggles or misses time.

The Las Vegas Raiders named veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins as their Week 1 starter on Wednesday, and while some late training camp rumblings hinted at Fernando Mendoza potentially starting his career as the third quarterback behind Aidan O'Connell, the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft will serve as the team's primary backup, according to The Athletic's Sam Warren. Mendoza appeared in all three of the Raiders' preseason games, turning in a mixed bag on his way to a 56.5% completion percentage and two interceptions to his one touchdown. The Raiders face a daunting schedule to begin the year, a fact that could lead to early calls from fans to put the rookie on the field, but also a landmine that the coaching staff must navigate with the ultimate goal of setting Mendoza up for long-term success. Equipped with the tools and mindset to eventually become the face of the franchise, Mendoza is RotoBaller's QB29 and not a player who needs to be drafted as anything more than a third quarterback in 2026 superflex leagues.

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak is open to naming Aidan O'Connell as the QB2 over rookie first overall pick Fernando Mendoza, according to Michael Smith of NBC Sports. This would make the No. 1 overall pick the QB3 to start the season for the Raiders. During the preseason, Mendoza had 25 completions on 45 passing attempts for 240 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. It has widely been expected that Kirk Cousins would be the starting quarterback for Week 1, with Mendoza being the backup. However, not many would have thought the rookie would start the season as the third-string quarterback. "We've got three guys that are ready to play," Kubiak told team reporters. "It's going to be some hard decisions on who's 1, who's 2. That's not a decision we have to make today, but those are discussions that are ongoing." If this happens, nothing much will change for Mendoza's fantasy outlook for redraft leagues and dynasty leagues. We knew he was a long-term fantasy investment that would not have much fantasy relevance until, at best, the end of the 2026 season.