2026 Team Outlook: Las Vegas Raiders
WR Tre Tucker, LVR - Sleeper (undervalued)
Selected in the 2023 NFL Draft as an attempt to find a Tyreek Hill-type playmaker, Tucker entered the league with legitimate speed (4.40) and quickness in a 5'9", 180-pound frame. His footwork gives him the ability to win off the line even against press coverage, and he's at his best when getting the ball quickly in short areas where Tucker can create yards after the catch. He can also threaten defenses vertically, but tight Year WRC SPT WYD YD% YC TGT TD 2025 148 0.435 1702 0.51 11.50 242 7 2024 177 0.432 2030 0.49 11.47 281 11 2023 222 0.692 2576 0.70 11.60 359 18 Las Vegas Raiders
coverage exposes some inconsistency in his hands, while struggling in some contested catch situations. Over four college seasons, Tucker caught 111 of 163 targets for 1,426 yards and eight touchdowns, with his best year coming in 2022 when he hauled in 52 catches for 672 yards and two scores on 80 targets. His first NFL season with Las Vegas was modest (19 catches for 331 yards and two touchdowns on 34 targets), but he showed big-play ability, averaging 17.4 yards per reception. Tucker took a step forward in 2024, posting 47 catches for 583 yards and three touchdowns on 81 targets, marked by inconsistent play. His two most productive outings came at home in Weeks 3 (7/98/1) and 12 (7/82), and he flashed his deep threat ability with a 58-yard touchdown catch against Kansas City in Week 13. In his third season in the Raiders’ system, Tucker set career highs in catches (57), receiving yards (696), touchdowns (5), and targets (92) while adding 11 carries for 51 yards. He finished 38th in PPR scoring (161.70), with almost 25% of success coming in Week 3 (8/149/3). On the downside, Tucker scored fewer than 10.00 fantasy points in 10 of his final 11 starts, making him a challenging fantasy start. Fantasy Outlook: Tucker’s growth and the change to Fernando Mendoza at quarterback point to sneaky upside in 2026. Despite his uptick in play, the high-stakes fantasy market priced him as a WR64 in mid-June in the National Fantasy Football Championship. His style of play and a longer passing window for the Raiders suggest a playmaker ceiling. Possible 70 catches for 900 yards and a chance at seven scores.
RB Mike Washington Jr., LVR - Fantasy Handcuff
UPDATE: Washington's fantasy football stock is skyrocketing. Previously viewed as a late-round handcuff or deep sleeper, he is now shifting into middle-round consideration. If Jeanty's injury forces him to miss significant regular-season time, Washington immediately enters the top-25 RB conversation and becomes an essential draft target.
Washington spent his first four college seasons at Buffalo and New Mexico State with modest results, averaging just 4.4 yards per carry on 420 attempts for 1,844 yards and 18 touchdowns. He was largely a non- factor in the passing game as well, catching 45 balls for 244 yards and two scores at only 5.4 yards per reception. A transfer to Arkansas revitalized his college career. He ran for 1,070 yards and nine touchdowns on 167 carries at 6.4 yards per carry, while adding 28 catches for 226 yards and a score. Washington enters the NFL Draft with an intriguing physical profile, combining a 6'1", 225-pound frame with 4.33 speed. At this stage, he plays more like a finesse back than a power runner, leaning on his quickness rather than his size. Some areas need development. His vision and reads in tight spaces remain a work in progress, and his change-of-direction footwork off the snap can be exploited by defenses looking to disrupt him at the line. He'll also need to clean up some ball security issues and become a more reliable pass protector, particularly given his physical tools. His upside is real. When given room to operate, Washington is dangerous when reaching the second level, where his speed allows him to run away from defenders. He also profiles as a receiving threat out of the backfield, adding versatility to his game. Embracing a more physical running style will be the key to unlocking his ceiling at the next level. Fantasy Outlook: Washington was the fifth running back drafted this year, giving the Raiders a talented backup option in 2026. He comes off
the board as the 59th running back in mid-June in the National Fantasy Football Championship. His pricing creates a wide enough window to handcuff with Ashton Jeanty. Washington projects a change of pace back, with under 80 touches in his rookie season.
RB Roman Hemby, LVR - Deep-league Only
Hemby capped his college career as a fifth-year senior playing a key role in Indiana's National Championship run, carrying the ball 247 times across 16 games while finishing with 1,285 combined yards, seven touchdowns, and 17 receptions. His yards per carry (4.9) were consistent throughout his career, but never quite reached the difference-making threshold you'd hope to see at the college level. He was a reliable receiver out of the backfield across three seasons, posting catch totals of 33, 38, and 40 with an 8.4 yards-per-catch average that showed a knack for creating after the catch. The concerns with Hemby center on his processing. He struggles to pick up blitzers in pass protection and can be late to identify developing running lanes, both of which will need to be sharpened at the next level. He's also undersized for his style — at 6'0" and 205 pounds, he runs like a bigger back than he is, with a physical, downhill approach that attacks north and south. That aggression works in his favor when he reaches his lane with quickness and power, and he has enough lateral agility to make a decisive cut toward daylight when it presents itself. What Hemby does well is take what the defense gives him. He's a natural chain-mover who breaks arm tackles, works through contact, and has the footwork to make defenders miss at the second level. His receiving ability adds another dimension. In the right offensive system at the NFL level, Hemby has the tools to outplay what his college numbers suggest. Fantasy Outlook: As an undrafted free agent, Hemby will open up his college career at the end of the Raiders' running back depth chart. His
experience with Fernando Mendoza could lead to him stealing RB2 snaps at times in 2026.
WR Jalen Nailor, LVR - Sleeper (undervalued)
After a minimal role (12/208/1) over his first 21 games with the Vikings, Nailor emerged in 2024 as an injury cover for Jordan Addison in Week
3 (3/54/1) and Week 4 (3/31/1) on eight combined targets. His only two other playable games came in Week 7 (4/76) and Week 17 (5/81/1). Nailor was at his best at home (18/272/4 on 22 targets). The Vikings had him on the field for 52.6% of their plays. He gained 20 yards or more on 28.6% of his catches, while also surprising at times in scoring (six touchdowns). A change in quarterback play last season and a poor offensive line led the Vikings’ offense to take a significant step backward. Nailor worked as Minnesota’s WR3, leading to 29 catches for 444 yards and four touchdowns on 53 targets. His only playable games came in Week 10 (5/124/1) and Week 15 (3/47/2). Fantasy Outlook: The Raiders signed Nailor to a three-year contract for $35 million in March. The top receiving option on their roster is tight end Brock Bowers, putting him in a fight for WR1/WR2 targets based on his payday. Nailor has a chance at 50 catches for 700 yards and a handful of scores if the Raiders’ offense jells in 2026. He ranks 70th in mid-June in the National Fantasy Football Championship with sleeper ADP (171).
WR Jack Bech, LVR - Deep-league Only
Bech burst onto the scene as a freshman at LSU with 43 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns, but the following two seasons were largely lost to limited opportunities, first at LSU (16/200/1) and then at TCU after his transfer (12/146). He made the most of his senior season, earning 12 starts and posting career bests across the board with 62 catches, 1,034 yards, and nine touchdowns. Texas Christian leaned on him as a deep threat, as his 16.7 yards-per- catch average reflects. He came out of the gate blazing in 2024, putting up four standout performances (6/139/1, 9/200/1, 6/166/2, and 10/131/2) in the first five weeks, but faded down the stretch with quieter numbers over his final seven games (27/387/2).
As a receiver, Bech wins with strength and reliable hands rather than athleticism. He's effective over the short and intermediate areas of the field, but needs to refine his release against physical corners, and his lack of top-end quickness and straight-line speed limits his ability to separate downfield. At 6'1" and 215 pounds, he has good size, but his speed is estimated below the NFL average at around 4.55, a number worth monitoring given he skipped the 40 at the combine, potentially due to a late-season knee injury. After the catch, he's a determined runner with his eyes up, capable of making defenders miss and fighting through contact. He can also high-point the ball and adjust to off-target throws. Bech has a Cooper Kupp-like feel to his game, a zone-buster who could outperform his draft position, but he lacks Kupp's refined route-running and doesn't carry the same college pedigree. In his rookie season, Bech caught 20 of his 29 targets for 224 yards and no scores. His best game (6/50) came in Week 14. The Raiders had him on the field for 34.5% of their plays. Fantasy Outlook: The WR2 role for Las Vegas is up for grabs this season, and a possession skill set would fill that void. Bech will go undrafted in all formats until he shows something on the field. Raiders' coach-speak over the summer could put him in the deep flier category.
WR Dont'e Thornton, LVR - Dynasty Only
Across four college seasons split between Oregon and Tennessee, Thornton was never a high-volume receiver, finishing with just 65 catches for 1,426 yards and 10 touchdowns. But his efficiency in 2025 was eye-opening, averaging 25.4 yards per catch on 26 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns, doing most of his damage on just 34 targets and roughly two catches per game. At 6'5" and 205 pounds with 4.3 speed, he's a rare physical specimen.
Thornton is essentially a vertical threat at this stage of his development, a true field-stretcher who can take the top off a defense and use his size to win contested catches down the field. His limitations are real due to a narrow route tree, with limited experience, and Thornton hasn't yet shown the ability to consistently create separation across all areas of the field. The next step in his development is expanding his game beyond the deep ball and becoming a more complete receiver. Even in his current form, Thornton is impossible to ignore on the field. In four-wide receiver sets, his combination of size and speed will demand attention from defensive coordinators, creating opportunities for his teammates whether or not the ball comes his way. His upside is significant if the route running catches up to the athleticism. Fantasy Outlook: Thornton caught only 10 of 30 targets in his rookie season for 135 yards, showing that he isn't ready to help fantasy teams. His best success came over his first three games (2/45, 1/20, and 2/29).
