3 Raiders' Rookies To Watch Against Texans

Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Simi Fehoko (80) catches a 10-yard touchdown pass against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jermod McCoy (28) in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

3 Raiders' Rookies To Watch Against Texans

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Tyler Bischoff | Last updated Aug 20, 2026 4:00 PM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Rookies will be crucial to the Raiders’ rebuild. Finding youth that can elevate the ceiling and floor in Las Vegas will help turn one of the worst teams in the NFL into a contender. Tonight is the second (and second to last) chance to see those players in preseason games.

Here are the three rookies to watch as the Raiders take on the Texans tonight – not including quarterback Fernando Mendoza. To read more about Mendoza ahead of this preseason game, check out this story.

Mike Washington

Ashton Jeanty is the Raiders’ undisputed starting running back. But the Raiders used a fourth-round pick on his backup, Mike Washington.

Did you know, Washington is bigger and faster than Jeanty? Washington is listed at 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds, while Jeanty is 5-foot-8 and 208 pounds. At the 2026 combine, Washington was the fastest running back, posting a 4.33 time in the 40-yard dash. Jeanty didn’t run in the 2025 combine, but has not posted a 40-yard dash time at that speed.

Simply being bigger and faster doesn’t make Washington a better back; NFL teams would be much better at drafting if that is all it took to identify the best players. But Washington might be good enough to warrant more than a couple of touches per game.

The Texans are not expected to use their defensive starters, so Washington will be running against backups. But if he can continue to shine in preseason, his usage will be an interesting decision for head coach Klint Kubiak.

Jermod McCoy

The Raiders took the gamble on McCoy in the NFL Draft. The cornerback out of Tennessee was a potential first-round pick until NFL teams were scared off by his knee injury. McCoy didn’t play at all last season after suffering a torn ACL.

McCoy has been part of Raiders’ training camp since the first day. Even though he was given a couple of scheduled off days, Kubiak has been impressed with McCoy’s recovery and availability.

The first preseason game was rough for McCoy, as he allowed four catches on four targets, including two touchdowns. Tonight will be a big chance for the rookie to show he can bounce back from a rough outing.

Malik Benson

Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Malik Benson (19) lines up before the snap during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Brytus-Imagn Images

The Raiders have one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the NFL, so there is plenty of opportunity for a rookie to stake a claim for playing time. Malik Benson has done that with an impressive training camp.

He has primarily worked with the second-team offense, but he is clearly in the Raiders’ top four at the position. Benson has developed alongside Mendoza, and could push Jack Bech for snaps as the third wideout.

But he is still behind Bech, who had a big game in last week’s preseason opener. If Benson is going to pick up more playing time, he needs to continue his surge and have a big game against the Texans.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: