NFL schedule 2026: Instantaneous predictions for the Raiders’ video games

This offseason has drummed up fairly a bit of pleasure surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders. Primarily as a result of it’s about to be a brand new period in Las Vegas, because the No. 1 decide within the 2026 NFL draft, Fernando Mendoza, is ready to take over because the franchise quarterback. However, there’s no assure that Mendoza will probably be a Week 1 starter, and the Raiders are getting into 12 months certainly one of a rebuild.

As a consequence, our pals at FanDuel Sportsbook have the Silver and Black’s win complete set at simply 5.5 video games. Now that the NFL schedule has formally been launched, let’s make an early prediction on how the season will unfold and see how the Raiders can hit the over.

Week 1: vs. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins will probably be one of many favorites to carry the No. 1 decide subsequent spring, as they tore their roster down this offseason to put the inspiration for a rebuild. The Raiders ought to be capable of get this one at dwelling.

Week 2: @ Los Angeles Chargers

While Raider Nation is ever-present in SoFi Stadium when the AFC West rivals sq. off, the Raiders are 2-9 against the Chargers in Los Angeles and haven’t received there since 2020. Given that the Bolts are anticipated to be a contender this 12 months, it’s laborious to see that pattern ending this fall.

Week 3: @ New Orleans Saints

Not that it means a lot within the huge image of the league, however FanDuel is giving the Saints respectable odds (+290) to win the NFC South subsequent season. That’s second behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and search for quarterback Tyler Shough to construct on a powerful stretch on the finish of his rookie 12 months. Shough began 9 video games and tossed a 67.6 completion share, practically 2,400 yards and 10 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. New Orleans is only one step forward of Las Vegas in its rebuild.

Week 4: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL and LCL initially of December, threatening his availability initially of the season. Also, that might trigger him to get off to a gradual begin, and the ultimate weeks of final season confirmed how reliant Kansas City is on the two-time MVP being behind heart.

Week 5: @ New England Patriots

Las Vegas ended up pulling off one of many greatest upsets within the NFL final 12 months by taking down New England on the street. We simply didn’t know that on the time, because it was the season opener. But the Patriots are a a lot completely different staff than again then, coming off the heels of a Super Bowl run.

Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills

It actually feels just like the Bills’ Super Bowl window is closing, however it is a staff that completed 12-5 within the common season final 12 months and was a few bone-headed errors away from assembly the Patriots within the AFC Championship. It’s laborious to count on a younger Raiders staff to return away with a win right here.

Week 7: vs. Los Angeles Rams

The Rams are presently FanDuel’s favourite to win all of it and rightfully so. Los Angeles was 4 factors away from going to the Super Bowl final season, and nearly all of the roster is again. Las Vegas isn’t ready to compete with that proper now.

Geno Smith will get an opportunity to get revenge, but when he’s something just like the quarterback who performed for the Raiders final 12 months, I just like the Silver and Black’s possibilities to get a win on the street.

Week 9: @ San Francisco 49ers

Injuries have plagued the 49ers, and the notorious electrical substation continues to be sitting proper subsequent to the observe facility. Granted, the group did its personal analysis and decided that it was nothing greater than a enjoyable social media conspiracy. Regardless, San Francisco is a well-coached staff that additionally has quite a lot of expertise to handle a younger membership in Vegas.

Week 10: vs. Seattle Seahawks

The Silver and Black may have a bonus right here since Klint Kubiak has some inside info on his former staff. Also, along with their offensive coordinator, the Seahawks misplaced a handful of key gamers from final 12 months’s staff. However, it is a matchup between two groups that have been on reverse ends of the primary spherical of final month’s draft, so it’s laborious to see a significant upset at this stage.

Week 11: @ Denver Broncos

The Raiders haven’t received in Denver since 2022, and the Broncos are broadly anticipated to compete for the AFC Championship once more. That makes it laborious to see Las Vegas turning its fortunes within the Mile High City round this fall.

Week 12: @ Cleveland Browns

The Browns don’t have a foul roster prime to backside, however they’re nonetheless determining the quarterback state of affairs. Whether it’s Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders, the Raiders have a superb alternative to get a street win right here.

No prediction is important right here, clearly. But the Raiders having the late bye week throws a small wrinkle into when Mendoza will make his first begin, assuming he doesn’t start the 12 months as QB1. Had it been nearer to the center of the season, that might have helped create a extra pure transition.

Week 14: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Health is all the time an element with the Chargers, particularly since each of their offensive tackles missed greater than half of final season, with Rashawn Slater sitting out for all the marketing campaign. But roster for roster, Los Angeles is forward of Las Vegas and ought to be a Super Bowl contender.

Week 15: vs. Denver Broncos

The Broncos are coming off an AFC Championship run and return nearly all of their key gamers from one of the crucial full rosters within the league. Granted, how Bo Nix returns from the damaged ankle that knocked him and Denver out of the playoffs provides Las Vegas some hope. But proper now, that roster is simply too robust to count on a younger, rebuilding staff to take them down.

Week 16: vs. Tennessee Titans

As dangerous because the Raiders have been final season—and boy, have been they dangerous—Pete Carroll’s crew nonetheless managed to take down the Titans at Allegiant Stadium. Barring a dramatic turnaround from Cam Ward and Robert Saleh, this ought to be one of many few video games Las Vegas is favored in.

Week 17: @ Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are one other membership that’s anticipated to be rather a lot nearer to the No. 1 decide of the draft than making the playoffs. Arizona has too many query marks proper now, so Las Vegas ought to be capable of steal this one on the street.

Week 18: @ Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes’ harm and the way lengthy it would take him to actually get again to one hundred pc make this sport troublesome to foretell a number of months prematurely. For now, I’ll err on the facet of Mahomes at the very least being ok to assist the Chiefs break up the sequence in opposition to the Raiders, the place the house staff wins every matchup, like what occurred within the 2025 marketing campaign.

This would imply the over hits, however simply barely. While the fanbase desires to see extra instant outcomes, that’s simply not real looking for a rebuilding staff. Doubling final 12 months’s win complete could be a superb begin to the Mendoza period, particularly if the Raiders can finish the marketing campaign on a excessive be aware to construct some momentum heading into 2027.