Raiders’ Week 5 Depth Chart: Biggest Takeaways

The Las Vegas Raiders look to bounce back from their Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a road win against the New England Patriots. Las Vegas plans to apply the lessons learned from their first loss of the season to next Sunday’s matchup and beyond.

“I think everything you put in your bank of experiences, good and bad, you learn from it. I’ll even mention to Fernando [Mendoza] sometimes; I’ll be like, Hey, you see that there? Like, take note, because someday it’s going to be you. And you’re going to want to make sure you do that and not this, or vice versa,” Raiders veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins said after the game.

”So, no, it’s just you’re learning from every experience, and in this game, you learn that hey, just keep playing. Just keep playing. Tough times don’t last. Tough people do. And as long as you protect the football, you know, play through the smoke. You give yourself a chance at the end of the game, and that’s what happened today. And we just weren’t able to capitalize.”

Below is the Raiders’ most updated depth chart heading into Week 5 and our analysis.

Quarterback

1. Kirk Cousins
2. Fernando Mendoza
3. Aidan O’Connell

Analysis: It is not broke. So, do not fix it.

Running Back

1. Ashton Jeanty
2. Mike Washington
3. Dylan Laube

Analysis: It is clear that Jeanty is hurt. However, for as ineffective as he has been on the ground, he has been equally effective through the air. Last Sunday, Jeanty finished tied with the second-most receptions and tied for the third-most targets.

Teams are going all out to stop Jeanty out of the backfield, forcing Cousins to beat them. The Raiders’ staff must keep finding ways to get their running backs going, one way or another.

Fullback

1. Connor Heyward

Analysis: Steady.

Wide Receiver

1. Jalen Nailor
2. Malik Benson

Analysis: Nailor’s injury on Sunday quickly put into perspective how thin the Raiders are at this position group.

Wide Receiver

1. Tre Tucker
2. Daereke Young
3. Cody White

Analysis: Tucker has been open on several occasions that he did not get the ball. This is bound to happen in any offense, but worth noting here. White continues to perform well on a weekly basis. The chip on his shoulder is an actual tool for Las Vegas’ offense.

Left Tackle

1. Kolton Miller
2. Charles Grant

Analysis: Miller continues to play well overall.

Left Guard

1. Spencer Burford
2. Bryce Cabeldue

Analysis: Burford is the glue between Las Vegas’ top-tier left tackle and top-tier center.

Center

1. Tyler Linderbaum

Analysis: Great investment.

Right Guard

1. Jackson Powers-Johnson
2. Caleb Rogers

Analysis: Rogers still needs further development but is coming along.

Right Tackle

1. DJ Glaze
2. Trey Zuhn

Analysis: Glaze has played well this season, matching his undeniable durability.

Tight End

1. Brock Bowers
2. Michael Mayer
3. Ian Thomas

Analysis: Last Sunday confirmed Las Vegas has one of the best groups of tight ends in the league.

Defensive End

1. Maxx Crosby
2. Malcolm Koonce

Analysis: Crosby and Koonce will help lead a hungry defensive line.

Defensive Tackle

1. Adam Butler
2. Folorunso Fatukasi
3. Thomas Booker

Analysis: All three of these players make an impact weekly.

Defensive Tackle

1. Tonka Hemingway
2. Jonah Laulu
3. JJ Pegues

Analysis: Laulu being listed as inactive last week was a shock, but it was also a shock when Pegues was listed as inactive earlier this season. This is Las Vegas’ deepest position group, which will sometimes force them to name one player inactive from this group.

Edge

1. Kwity Paye
2. Patrick Johnson

Analysis: Johnson needs more playing time.

Right Inside Linebacker

1. Nakobe Dean
2. Tommy Eichenberg
3. Segun Olubi

Analysis: Dean is one of the best linebackers in the league.

Left Inside Linebacker

1. Quay Walker
2. Cody Lindenberg

Analysis: Walker has been as advertised through four games.

Left Cornerback

1. Eric Stokes
2. Jermod McCoy
3. Darrell Luter Jr.

Analysis: The Chiefs have targeted Stokes more than he has been targeted this season. Look for a bounce-back game.

Slot Corner

1. Taron Johnson

Analysis: There were some plays from Sunday’s game that Johnson would likely like to have back. However, he has been a solid addition overall.

Free Safety

1. Treydan Stukes
2. Isaiah Pola-Mao

Analysis: Las Vegas is glad to have Stukes back.

Strong Safety

1. Jeremy Chinn
2. Dalton Johnson

Analysis: Chinn is consistent.

Punter

1. AJ Cole

Analysis: Cole makes punts fun to watch.

Kicker

1. Matt Gay

Analysis: Sniper.

Kick Returner

1. Dylan Laube
2. Dareke Young

Analysis: Two consecutive weeks with costly fumbles for this unit. They have to figure it out, as this unit is literally determining entire games.

Punt Returner

1. Malik Benson
2. Dylan Laube

Analysis: Las Vegas’ punt returns have been ineffective. Against the Chiefs, Las Vegas finished with four punt return yards. If you are curious why the Raiders dropped multiple players back on the Chiefs’ fake punt, it was likely to help set up blocks to spark a dormant unit.

In this instance, the issue is not the returner.