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The Las Vegas Raiders' 2026 draft class experienced a challenging Week 5 in a 45-17 road loss to the New England Patriots. With eight of the 10 picks on the 53-man roster, the rookies had varying levels of involvement, and their roles could shift again when the Raiders host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Fernando Mendoza
The No. 1 overall pick made his NFL regular-season debut, playing the Raiders' final 10 offensive snaps in mop-up duty. Head coach Klint Kubiak praised Mendoza for the speed of his play. The rookie completed six of eight passes for 48 yards and displayed solid mobility.
Treydan Stukes
The second-round pick was on the field for all 75 defensive snaps. The entire Raiders secondary struggled, and Stukes was no exception. At times, it appeared the Patriots were targeting the rookie. It will be worth monitoring whether Josh Allen and the Bills similarly test Stukes.
Trey Zuhn
The third-round selection was inactive due to a knee issue. His availability for Sunday's game remains uncertain.
Jermod McCoy
The fourth-round pick logged 12 snaps on defense, his second defensive appearance of the season. That trend could continue in the coming weeks against pass-heavy offenses like the Bills and Rams. He also contributed 13 snaps on special teams.
Mike Washington
The fourth-round running back played a season-low five offensive snaps, a week after seeing a season-high 18. He had one carry and received less playing time than third-string running back Dylan Laube. Kubiak acknowledged the need to involve Washington more, and it remains to be seen if that happens on Sunday.
Dalton Johnson
The fifth-round safety was inactive for the fourth time in five games, having been active in Week 4.
Zeke Masses
The fifth-round pick played just 33 percent of the defensive snaps and appeared to lose his starting role to Darien Porter, whom Masses had beaten out earlier in the season. Masses has experienced growing pains over the past three games after winning AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 2. It will be interesting to see if he can earn more playing time against the Bills.
Malik Benson
The sixth-round wide receiver played a season-high 16 offensive snaps due to injuries at the position. He caught one pass for six yards on four targets. The training camp standout now has two catches for 12 yards on eight targets this season.
Key Analysis
As the Raiders prepare for a tough matchup against the Bills, the development of their rookie class remains a key storyline. While Mendoza showed promise in his limited debut, Masses's reduced role and Washington's decreased snaps raise questions about their immediate futures. The coaching staff faces decisions on how to integrate these young players moving forward.
Originally reported by yahoo.