Why hasn't Mendoza been named the starter for LV?
Matthew Berry, Jay Croucher and Connor Rogers debate Fernando Mendoza's fantasy upside with the Raiders and why Las Vegas has yet to announce him the starter for 2026.
Video Transcript
The quarterbacks- Finally the number one pick, Fernando Mendoza, comes in as QB28.
He, at the moment, Matthew, is not expected to be the starter week one.
Yeah, and honestly, even if he is, like, what's the fantasy upside here?
He's not somebody that runs.
We know Clint Kubiak wants to run the ball, and like, it's not gonna be an explosive passing attack.
They wanna, they wanna, they wanna run the ball to set up play action.
But this is an offense that's gonna be featured around Ashton Jeanty.
Last season, under Clint Kubiak, they were 29th in pass attempts, the Seahawks were, and that was with Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Right.
Now you've got Trey Tucker and Jalen Naylor.
Like, I just We love Brock Bowers, but I just feel like, the only wide receiver on this team to see a 12% or more target share last year was Trey Tucker.
I just, so I have Mendoza as QB28.
I don't even think he's a You know, he's, he's somebody for superflex and dynasty- Sure but I don't think he is somebody that even in two quarterback leagues or, you know, this year, is somebody that I'm, you know, targeting.
I find it incredibly strange that he's not the week one starter.
I, I'm with you, and- I, I find this, like, completely baffling.
Yeah.
It's not like he's Jalen Milroe.
No, no, of course.
He's a very pro-ready quarterback.
I don't know if this is a Tom Brady influence decision.
It's not.
I don't know what it is.
I, I think he's ready to roll.
Yeah.
If I was a Raiders fan, I'd wanna see him play.
I don't need to see Kirk Cousins play.
Yeah.
But- Maybe it's just they, maybe they just don't have the confidence and they want to, like, just- They're being delicate- Yeah and really careful.
I think, though, after, like, one Kirk Cousins stinker, everyone's gonna be like, "Come on, guys.
Let's see."
It, it's gonna be like the Giants last year where- Right everyone was like, "Why isn't Jaxon Dart starting from week one?"
And like- Yeah.
Right.
And also- Who also played a lot of college football, Jaxon Dart.
Yes, exactly.
He was a three-year starter.
And who also was better than Russell Wilson.
I mean- And they would've done better had they started him week one.
That's right.
Drastically.
But the whole plan of last year was Russell Wilson's gonna start, you know, like, oh, we're think like the bi-week of week eight or nine, and then, like, Russell Wilson's just brutal for, like, two or three weeks.
Yeah.
And they're like, "Okay, Jaxon Dart."
And that's what's gonna happen here, I think, yes.
