Rookie No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is expected to make his first regular-season start Sunday when the Raiders host the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks at Allegiant Stadium.
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Fernando Mendoza’s first regular-season start is set for Sunday as the Las Vegas Raiders begin what a CBS Sports preview called the “Mendoza era” against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
The game is scheduled for a 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff on CBS from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The quarterback opportunity came after the Raiders traded veteran Kirk Cousins to Minnesota at Tuesday’s deadline, receiving a third-round pick in return, according to the preview.
CBS Sports noted Mendoza will be Las Vegas’s starter despite earlier quarterback action from other rookies, saying he is getting his chance after undrafted rookies Jalon Daniels and Joe Fagnano did.
The same preview described Mendoza as the current betting favourite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, moving from +2000 at DraftKings before the Cousins trade to +300 after it, with Cleveland wideout Denzel Boston dropping to second at +500.
Seattle enters with a defensive profile highlighted in the preview, including allowing the fewest total yards per game (244.2) through nine games in the NFL since 2023, the fewest yards per play (4.1) through nine since 2023, and the fewest 20-yard plays allowed (17) through nine since 2008.
CBS Sports also pointed to historical trends against No. 1 overall picks in their first career start since 2004, citing a record of 1-15-1 (3-14 ATS), with the only winner identified as Chicago’s Caleb Williams in 2024.
In addition, the preview said the Seattle-Mendoza matchup follows a starting-quarterback pattern that has previously seen long waits for first NFL starts by No. 1 overall selections, noting that only three of the previous 29 signal-callers taken first overall since 1967 made their first start later than Mendoza: Carson Palmer, JaMarcus Russell and Vinny Testaverde.
The Seahawks’ defensive test will coincide with Raiders scoring struggles, with CBS Sports describing Las Vegas as last in the NFL in scoring (29.8 points per game) and total defense (385.4 yards per game), and saying the team has allowed at least 30 points in six straight games.
For quarterback context, the preview said Seattle is expected to use backup Drew Lock under centre with Sam Darnold banged up, and stated Lock had been 3-0 ATS in his past three starts with zero turnovers, while also noting a separate record of 1-7 SU and 2-6 ATS in his past eight away games.
CBS Sports said the SportsLine Projection Model forecasts Mendoza for 21-for-33 passing (179 yards), 1.43 touchdowns and 1.13 interceptions, along with rushing 3.4 times for 12 yards.
The same preview reported that DraftKings has Mendoza at an Over/Under of 180 passing yards, pricing him at +232 for at least two touchdown passes and -150 for an interception, and it added that one book gives him an over/under of 3.5 wins this season.
Finally, the preview said the model has the Seahawks winning 29-20, and stated an additional pick of 16-13.
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