The Las Vegas Raiders won only three games last season while finishing at the bottom of the AFC West division, after winning just four in the season before that.
On Sunday, the Raiders open their campaign to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021 and only the third time since 2002 when they take on the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium.
Before the season-opening game, the Raiders announced decisions on seven players and whether they will play in the game or not.
| LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — INACTIVES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 • Raiders vs. Miami Dolphins • #MIAvsLV | ||
| # | Player | Position |
| 12 | Aidan O’Connell | QB (Emergency 3rd QB) |
| 25 | Darrell Luter Jr. | CB |
| 43 | Dalton Johnson | S |
| 55 | Cody Lindenberg | LB |
| 77 | Bryce Cabeldue | G |
| 89 | Brock Bowers | TE |
| 92 | JJ Pegues | DT |
| 7 players inactive. September 13, 2026 • Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV • 1:25 PM ET • FOX. Brock Bowers (TE, #89) is the most notable absence. | ||
Brock Bowers’ Return Timeline for the Raiders
Tight end Brock Bowers will watch Sunday’s season opener from the sideline, and Ashton Jeanty is expected to shoulder a heavier load in the Las Vegas Raiders’ backfield.
Las Vegas already trimmed its receiver corps to the bone before Week 1, and now Klint Kubiak opens his head-coaching career without his best playmaker on the field.
The Raiders ruled out Bowers, their two-time Pro Bowl tight end, for the opener against the Miami Dolphins after he underwent a procedure to trim his meniscus last Tuesday. Bowers did not practice all week, and Michael Mayer is set to start in his place, with Ian Thomas also available at tight end. Bowers was the only Raider listed as out on the final injury report, while Miami’s roster carries no game-status designations.
Las Vegas elevated wide receiver Cody White and tight end Chris Myarick from the practice squad Saturday to add depth behind Bowers, according to Silver and Black Pride. White spent the past two seasons in Seattle, winning a Super Bowl with Kubiak as offensive coordinator, while Myarick gives the tight end room extra size and special-teams help.
Las Vegas believes there is a realistic chance Bowers misses only Sunday’s game and returns for Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers, per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter. Earlier reporting had pegged Bowers for “a game or two” on the sideline before the shorter outlook emerged Saturday.
Kubiak wouldn’t commit to a firm date.
“It all happened pretty quick, I don’t remember exactly what day,” Kubiak said, according to a report from Yahoo Sports. “But he got it cleaned up and we’ll get him back soon.”
Bowers’ absence limits an already shaky receiver group of Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor and Jack Bech, putting more pressure on Kirk Cousins to lean on Mayer and the run game Sunday.
| LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — 2026 SCHEDULE | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WK | Date | Opponent | H/A | Kickoff (ET) | Network |
| 1 | Sun, Sep 13 | Miami | Home | 4:25 p.m. | FOX |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | @ Los Angeles Chargers | Away | 1:05 PM | CBS |
| 3 | Sun, Sep 27 | @ New Orleans | Away | 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | Kansas City | Home | 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | @ New England | Away | 10:00 AM | CBS |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | Buffalo | Home | 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 7 | Sun, Oct 25 | Los Angeles Rams | Home | 1:25 PM | FOX |
| 8 | Sun, Nov 1 | @ New York Jets | Away | 10:00 AM | FOX |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | @ San Francisco | Away | 1:05 PM | CBS |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | Seattle | Home | 1:05 PM | CBS |
| 11 | Sun, Nov 22 | @ Denver | Away | 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 12 | Sun, Nov 29 | @ Cleveland | Away | 10:00 AM | FOX |
| WK 13 — BYE WEEK | |||||
| 14 | Sun, Dec 13 | Los Angeles Chargers | Home | 1:05 PM | CBS |
| 15 | Sun, Dec 20 | Denver | Home | 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 16 | Sun, Dec 27 | Tennessee | Home | 1:05 PM | FOX |
| 17 | Sun, Jan 3 | @ Arizona | Away | 1:05 PM | CBS |
| 18 | TBD — Flex Game | @ Kansas City | Away | TBD | TBD |
| All times Eastern. Home games at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV. Bye in Week 13. Week 18 is a flex game — date and broadcast TBD. CBS carries the majority of games as an AFC team. Kansas City appears twice (Weeks 4 and 18); Denver appears twice (Weeks 11 and 15); LA Chargers appear twice (Weeks 2 and 14). | |||||
Las Vegas Raiders’ Outlook Before Miami Dolphins Opener
The clearest silver lining for Las Vegas is Jeanty. The second-year back carries no injury designation despite an ankle issue that lingered through the week, and he called the ankle “really good” heading into the opener, according to a report by the Sporting News.
Jeanty’s clean bill of health matters against a Miami run defense that allowed 132.4 yards per game last season, ranking 26th in the NFL, and 4.8 yards per carry, the fourth-worst mark in the league, according to FOX Sports.
Las Vegas is favored by three points at home, with the total set at 39.5, according to FOX Sports Research data at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Raiders Announce Final Decisions on 7 Players Before Dolphins Game