Kirk Cousins Fantasy Stats

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has officially named veteran Kirk Cousins as the starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN. Despite a training-camp push by first overall pick Fernando Mendoza, the Raiders have decided to let the 38-year-old veteran open the 2026 campaign as the starter under center. The expectation all along was that Cousins would open the year as the starter to give Mendoza more time to adapt to the NFL game and get used to playing under center. In 30 offensive snaps during the preseason, Cousins went 13-for-17 for 101 yards with one touchdown. Cousins could have some low-end QB2 sleeper appeal in the season opener against Miami in what should be an improved Raiders offense, but with Mendoza looming as the long-term option at the position, he makes for an unintriguing two-QB superflex option in season-long formats as he heads into his 15th NFL season.

According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to name veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins their Week 1 starter. Even though Cousins was slated to take the starting job back at the beginning of training camp, newly appointed head coach Klint Kubiak has kept the door open for a competition. However, the veteran earned the starting gig over first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell. Cousins has been sharp in the preseason, going 5-for-6 in the opener and 8-for-11 in their preseason finale this past Thursday evening. Last season, Cousins appeared in 10 games for the Falcons and averaged 205.5 passing yards per game with a 10:5 TD:INT in the eight games in which he logged more than 50 offensive snaps. Given that the Raiders lack many proven options in the passing game outside of star tight end Brock Bowers, the 38-year-old carries low-end QB3 appeal in their Week 1 opener against the Miami Dolphins.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Las Vegas Raiders veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is expected "to be named the starter eventually," according to people inside the Raiders' building and league-wide with other teams. Head coach Klint Kubiak was non-committal on naming a starter for Week 1 of the regular season against the Miami Dolphins after the team's preseason finale on Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers, in which both Cousins and rookie first overall pick Fernando Mendoza played. Cousins went 8-for-11 for 51 yards, while Mendoza went 7-for-14 for 57 yards with an interception. Although Mendoza saw some first-team reps in training camp practices, Cousins has been treated like the starter since the spring, according to Fowler. At best, the 14-year veteran and four-time Pro Bowler is a low-end, short-term option in superflex leagues in 2026, but the overwhelming consensus is that Mendoza will be making starts under center this year for the Raiders sooner rather than later. Cousins only played in 10 games (eight starts) for the Atlanta Falcons last year after Michael Penix Jr.'s (knee) season-ending ACL tear, throwing for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins was listed as the starter on the team's unofficial depth chart ahead of their preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers. According to head coach Klint Kubiak, Cousins has taken most of the first-team reps in practice and that it is "his job to lose." The veteran quarterback signed a two-year, $12.6 million deal with the Raiders this offseason and was set to compete with first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza for the starting job. With Cousins and most of the starting offense not playing in the team's second preseason game against the Houston Texans, it points to the 15th-year quarterback starting in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. Even if Cousins is named the starting quarterback this season, his lack of weapons and rushing ability leaves him as an irrelevant piece in fantasy this season.

When asked about the team's quarterback battle, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said it is Kirk Cousins' job to lose. Following their 27-14 preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Kubiak said, "Kirk's been getting the reps with the 1s, and it's his job to lose." Cousins had a strong first drive in Thursday night's game, completing five of six passes for 50 yards and a touchdown to tight end Michael Mayer. While rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza had a solid night as well, Kubiak's commitment to Cousins has dropped Mendoza on fantasy draft boards this season. If Cousins starts in Week 1, he will likely be a non-factor in fantasy leagues this season, while Mendoza's stock will fall in Superflex leagues.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive end Maxx Crosby will both be held out of Saturday's practice after violating team rules during Friday's altercation, according to Adam Schefter. Head coach Klint Kubiak made the decision after the two got into it during team drills. Crosby made contact with Cousins on multiple plays before the veteran quarterback shoved him and grabbed his jersey, prompting teammates to step in and separate them. No punches were reported. Cousins enters the preseason as Las Vegas' starting quarterback after throwing for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions across 10 games with Atlanta last season. Kubiak has already identified Cousins as the starter, with first overall pick Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell working behind him. Saturday's absence gives both younger quarterbacks some additional reps while Cousins serves the one-practice discipline alongside Crosby.

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said Kirk Cousins will take the field as the starting quarterback when the team opens practice Wednesday, according to Ryan McFadden. Kubiak said Cousins deserves the first opportunity because he has played "really good football," while adding that he wants No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell to push him. Cousins joined Las Vegas after completing 166 of 269 passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions across 10 games with Atlanta in 2025. The 37-year-old also has familiarity with Kubiak's system after the two worked together for three seasons in Minnesota. Mendoza remains the Raiders' long-term investment after being selected first overall in April, and Kubiak previously said Cousins, Mendoza, and O'Connell would all receive first-team opportunities during camp. Cousins enters the competition atop the depth chart and has the clearest immediate path to the Week 1 job, though Mendoza's presence limits his long-term security.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins is no stranger to competing with a first-round pick in his first season with a new team, though the comparisons to his 2024 campaign with the Falcons end just below surface level. The Falcons shocked the football world by selecting Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft weeks after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal. In contrast, Fernando Mendoza was always going to wind up with the Raiders, even if his selection with the first overall pick was not made official until after Cousins had signed his two-year, $12.6 million bridge quarterback contract. With new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak preaching patience for Mendoza, Cousins is expected to start the season with the starting job and could be given plenty of leash in an offense that should show signs of improvement from a year ago. That said, the soon-to-be-38-year-old's per-game fantasy production has been on the decline for years, and little is expected of RotoBaller's QB33 in 2026.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins has made a 15-year career out of rising to the situation around him. Rarely has he shown an ability to truly elevate an offense, but with the right pieces around him, he's fully capable of managing the game and providing steady production that has frequently translated to fantasy success. With a deep group of pass-catchers in Washington's pass-heavy offense, he was able to turn in multiple top-six fantasy seasons, and while throwing to Justin Jefferson in Minnesota, he rarely fell outside the QB1 range. With the Achilles injury he suffered in 2023 further limiting what was never the most dynamic physical skill set, Cousins' reliance on a clean pocket and early separation from his receivers has only grown more apparent in recent years. Unfortunately, as he attempts to hold off first overall pick Fernando Mendoza for as long as possible in what could be his final starting job with the Raiders, the offense in Vegas features few pieces to get excited about outside of All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers and 2025 first-round pick Ashton Jeanty. Cousins is well-positioned in a Klint Kubiak offense that just saw journeyman Sam Darnold finish as the QB13 a season ago, but without a weapon like Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the outside, and with the new face of the franchise already breathing down his neck, the soon-to-be 38-year-old does not project as a major fantasy contributor in 2026 and is RotoBaller's QB33.

Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is entering his first season with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026. Cousins' production has fallen off considerably in recent years, and he finished 2025 with 1,721 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions across 10 games (eight starts) for the Atlanta Falcons. The 37-year-old appears set to enter training camp as the nominal QB1 in Las Vegas. However, Cousins is highly unlikely to hold the starting job for the Raiders all season long after the team's selection of quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Even if Cousins opens 2026 under center for Las Vegas, he may struggle to put up fantasy-relevant production in an offense that is light on pass-catching talent outside of star tight end Brock Bowers. Cousins also averaged just 6.4 yards per pass attempt with the Falcons in 2025, his first season under seven yards per attempt since 2013. Dynasty managers should feel comfortable moving on from Cousins ahead of 2026.