Las Vegas Raiders

Michael Mayer

TE

Mayer has fully recovered from the nose injury that plagued him in early August, but the tight end remained sidelined during Thursday's contest. The 2023 second-rounder joined fellow tight end Brock Bowers on the sideline Thursday, and it appears unlikely he will play any more snaps until the regular season commences.

Ashton Jeanty

RB

With Kirk Cousins, Maxx Crosby and Brock Bowers also resting, Jeanty's absence is a good sign for his regular-season workload. Backup running back Mike Washington broke off a long run for the second time in as many preseason games, but it's unclear if he'll be a significant part of the offense come Week 1 against Miami.

Fernando Mendoza

QB

On that subject, Kubiak noted "we got another week. I don't want anyone to be comfortable in their job...it should always be that way for all positions. So, let's keep going." To this point, the signs have been pointing to Cousins opening the regular season as the starter, and he was among his team's key players who watched Thursday's preseason game against the Texans from the sidelines. Meanwhile, Mendoza played the entire first half of the contest, completing eight of 15 passes for 86 yards and an interception on five drives. It remains to be seen when Kubiak will announce the Raiders' starting signal-caller, but given where Mendoza was drafted, it's assumed that the Indiana product will rise to the top of the Raiders' depth chart eventually, though that ascent seems likely to follow a stint as Cousins' understudy.

Matt Gay

PK

Gay outperformed rookie Kansei Matsuzawa in the Raiders' second preseason game, as Matsuzawa didn't attempt a field goal but converted only one of three PAT tries. Gay has been the favorite from the outset of Vegas' kicker competition thanks to the 32-year-old's edge in experience, and Thursday's results should help further tip the scales in his favor.

Chigozie Anusiem

CB

Anusiem will be forced to miss the entire upcoming season after suffering a knee injury during Thursday's preseason game versus the Texans. The 25-year-old will now shift his focus to getting healthy for the 2027 campaign.