WR · LV
transaction
Waiver: Malik Benson added, Teddy Bridgewater dropped
sleeper-tx-waiver+4 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Adds: Malik Benson. Drops: Teddy Bridgewater
Malik Benson
WR · LV · 23 yrs · exp 0 · Oregon
Status
- Game status
- Active
Keep Trade Cut (SF TEP)
From latest snapshot · trend vs ~7d prior when data allows.
Value
208
Rank
#749
Pos rank
#279
7d trend
—
Value history (90d)
One snapshot point per calendar day (shown in your timezone).
Latest: Jun 30, 2026 · 208
News
Stories linked to this player — newest first.
analyst
Jalen Nailor Still More Dart Throw Than Dynasty Buy
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jalen Nailor has a better opportunity than he ever had in Minnesota, but that does not automatically make him a dynasty buy. Nailor is already 27 and has never topped 29 catches or 444 receiving yards in a season, which matters for a player whose value is still built more on projection than proven volume. The Raiders did make a real commitment with a three-year deal that includes $23 million guaranteed, and the fit is interesting after he produced 57 catches, 858 yards, and 10 touchdowns over his last two seasons in Minnesota. He also reunites with Kirk Cousins in a wide receiver room where Tre Tucker is the top returning producer but not an untouchable target hog. Still, Brock Bowers should lead the passing game, Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. are entering Year 2, and Malik Benson adds more speed. Sitting at WR66 on RotoBaller's board, Nailor is fine as a late redraft or best-ball swing. Dynasty managers should be careful paying like a breakout is already here
analyst
Malik Benson Stands Out During OTAs and Minicamp
Las Vegas Raiders rookie sixth-rounder Malik Benson made the most of his organized team activities and minicamp opportunities this offseason, according to Levi Edwards of the team's official website. Edwards writes that Benson "could be a sneaky addition" to the receiving corps in 2026. He caught a handful of deep passes from all of the Raiders quarterbacks during portions of practice open to the media this spring, and he's a young pass-catcher to watch when training camp rolls around at the end of July. In his final collegiate season last year with the University of Oregon, Benson stepped up with 43 receptions for 719 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games played for the Ducks. The Raiders have one of the most wide-open WR groups in the NFL with training camp approaching, giving Benson an opportunity to carve out a role behind the likes of Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, and Jack Bech. He'll likely be competing with Dont'e Thornton for the WR4 role in Vegas in his first year in the NFL. Right now, Benson is only a deep sleeper for fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper formats
general
Raiders wide receiver Malik Benson Jr. excels during OTA’s
Rookie wide receiver Malik Benson Jr. has impressed during OTAs and minicamp, developing a strong connection with QB Fernando Mendoza and establishing himself as a primary target. Benson, the Raiders' sixth-round pick, has a significant opportunity to carve out a role in his first year
general
Mailbag: Will Las Vegas Raiders add No. 1 Receiver before training camp?
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
We’re at the beginning of the Las Vegas Raiders ’ summer break before training camp, so we don’t have as many questions to dive into for this week’s mailbag. But we do have a handful of people who are curious about the Raiders’ roster , so let’s get to it! Q: Are the Raiders going to get a true No. 1 receiver before training camp or stick with what they have? A: It wouldn’t surprise me if John Spytek signed (or at least explored) adding a wide receiver over the next few weeks, but I lean toward Spytek and Co. sticking with the guys they have. I get the sense that the goal for this year is to give guys like Tre Tucker , Jack Bech , Dont’e Thornton Jr., Malik Benson, etc., a chance to prove themselves rather than bringing in a veteran on a short-term contract. With Tucker, he’s entering a contract year, so the front office might want to see what he does in a “No. 1 wide receiver” type of role (or something close to it) to help determine how big a priority it should be to re-sign him in the offseason. And the other guys named are just young and haven’t done anything in the league, yet. Of course, Jalen Nailor factors into the equation, too. But Nailor is under contract for three years, and I’d be pretty surprised if the Raiders think he’s a legitimate No. 1 option. In other words, I think the organization knows what it has in the free-agent signing, so Nailor isn’t under the “let’s see what this guy’s got” umbrella. Also, I’d find it hard to believe that any wide receiver who is good enough to be a No. 1 would be willing to play in Las Vegas this season. Most of the wideouts who are still available and fit into that category are older and likely ring chasing. As we know, the Raiders aren’t exactly Super Bowl favorites heading into the 2026 campaign. Adding to that, there aren’t a ton of options left. Tyreek Hill , Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel and Keenan Allen are probably the top choices. Hill has an injury concern after tearing up his knee last season, and his off-the-field issues would probably prompt Mark Davis to step in and nix any attempt at signing him. Samuel has a history with Klint Kubiak–Kubiak was the 49ers’ passing game coordinator in 2023–to make sense from a schematic standpoint. However, I wouldn’t consider Deebo a “No. 1 receiver” as much as a versatile weapon. Then there’s Allen, who has primarily been a slot guy and not nearly the athlete he used to be after turning 34 in April. To me, Diggs would make the most sense from a fit standpoint. I’d just be surprised if he was willing to play for a team that’s rebuilding. But, if the 11-year veteran wants to catch passes from Fernando Mendoza and is willing to sign a multi-year contract, then go for it! Q: Why have there been so many disparate reports on Jack Bech on different Raider sites? One guy says he’s gonna be great. The next one says he looked terrible with no separation in OTAs. The next guy said he’ll be our slot guy. The next one says he’s a bust. What gives? A: I can’t speak to what other people are feeling/thinking, nor can I refute any reporting from practice since I’m not there. But if I had to guess, I’d assume the people who are down on Bech don’t think he’s a good enough athlete to create separation in the NFL, and his lack of production last season certainly doesn’t help matters. For me, Bech’s long speed is definitely a concern because he isn’t someone who is going to be a vertical threat. But I think people hold that against him too much, and he’s a better athlete than people give him credit for. The TCU product is a classic “quicker than fast” type of guy, as he has pretty good lateral movement skills, earning a 9.51 Relative Athletic Score during the pre-draft process last year. What’s telling is Bech did every timed drill except for the 40-yard dash (wonder why?, LOL), and earned good RAS for a 4.21-second shuttle time and 6.84-second 3-cone. That’s part of the reason why a few other people and I think he can be a good slot receiver; [... truncated ...]
WR · LV
analyst
Malik Benson - Impressing early
sleeper-rotowire+4 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Benson turned heads during the Raiders' mandatory minicamp, Levi Edwards of the team's official site reports. Edwards identified Benson as one of the biggest standouts of the Raiders' offseason program, noting that the rookie connected with multiple quarterbacks on deep passes during practices open to the media. The sixth-round pick enters training camp in what Ryan McFadden of ESPN reports to be an open competition at wide receiver, and his speed and ability to stretch the field could help him carve out a role if he builds on that momentum. Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton represent Benson's main competition for snaps
WR · LV
transaction
FA: Malik Benson added
sleeper-tx-free_agent+4 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Adds: Malik Benson
general
An early look at who can reignite the Raiders’ long dormant return game
The Raiders are evaluating several players, including Tre Tucker, Dareke Young, and rookies Malik Benson and Jonathan Brady, to improve their return game under special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis
general
Raiders 2026 draft picks: Who will start most games?
Understandably, the focus of the Las Vegas Raiders’ 2026 rookie draft class is on No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Fernando Mendoza and when he may take over as the starter. However, there are also other members of the Raiders’ draft class who have a chance to play a lot this season and start a lot of games. Among those players include second-round pick, defensive back Treydan Stukes, third-round pick, offensive lineman Trey Zuhn, fourth-round pick, Jermod McCoy and fifth-round pick Zeke Masses. Other rookies such as third-round pick, pass rusher Keyron Crawford, fourth-round pick, running back Mike Washington and sixth-round pick, wide receiver Malik Benson all have a chance to play a lot but more be more role and rotational players. So, we want to know, which Raiders’ draft pick do you think will start the most games this season. The choices are going to be Mendoza, Stukes, Zuhn, McCoy (who has a chance to play a lot if he is healthy) and Masses, who was getting some run with the first-team defense in the mandatory minicamp. Sign up for a user account and get: Fewer ads Create community posts Comment on articles, community posts Rec comments, community posts New, improved notifications system!
WR · LV
transaction
Waiver: Malik Benson added
sleeper-tx-waiver+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Adds: Malik Benson
QB · LV
WR · LV
general
Raiders making Fernando Mendoza earn every rep despite impressive start
HENDERSON, Nev. — On a day when Fernando Mendoza flexed some of that Indiana magic at Raiders’ minicamp, including a sharp touchdown throw to Malik Benson during a red zone
WR · LV
trending
Malik Benson heavily added (#25)
Sleeper trending/add: Malik Benson (13329) count=1656 (Δ1656 vs prior poll)
general
Should Raiders consider trading for Keon Coleman?
The Las Vegas Raiders have been connected to wide receivers all offseason, but even after adding Jalen Nailor in free agency and drafting Malik Benson, the speculation has continued. Las Vegas has been rumored to have interest in numerous wideouts all offseason and the latest dot connecting is Keon Coleman of the Buffalo Bills. Recently, ESPN pegged the Raiders as a potential top destination for the 2024 first-round pick should the Bills decide to trade him, which has been rumored for months. Coleman has been slow to develop in Buffalo despite playing with superstar quarterback Josh Allen . He had just 38 catches in 2025 and has been a healthy inactive player at times because he reportedly was late for meetings . Still, he is immensely talented and he just turned 23 years old. He has potential to become a solid player. If the price was right (a third-day draft pick) , it could make sense for the Raiders to try to make Coleman an reclamation project. Would a trade for Coleman make you happy or would it be a waste of time? Sign up for a user account and get: Fewer ads Create community posts Comment on articles, community posts Rec comments, community posts New, improved notifications system!
WR · LV
transaction
Waiver: Malik Benson added, KeAndre Lambert-Smith dropped
sleeper-tx-waiver+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Adds: Malik Benson. Drops: KeAndre Lambert-Smith
WR · LV
transaction
Waiver: Malik Benson added, Nick Chubb dropped
sleeper-tx-waiver+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Adds: Malik Benson. Drops: Nick Chubb
general
Malik Benson adds explosiveness to the Raiders offense
Last year, the Las Vegas Raiders struggled to create explosive plays. According to Sharp Football Analysis, the Raiders ranked 29th in explosive play rate, which is awful for an NFL offense. Enter young head coach Klint Kubiak, who led a Seattle Seahawks offense that was fourth in explosive play rate after the 2025 season. The big-play offense Kubiak deployed helped the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl in 2025. With his offensive mentality built around chunk gains in the running and passing game, Kubiak and John Spytek went to work adding players who could help in that department. In the running game, they drafted Mike Washington Jr out of Arkansas to match with Ashton Jeanty . In the passing game, Jalon Nailor was the free agent to help in that department, and they drafted Malik Benson out of Oregon in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL draft. Benson ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, displaying his ability to win over the top of a defense. He was one of the main deep threats for the Ducks last season, averaging 16.7 and leading the team in receiving yards with 719. With an open receiver room, Benson’s hands and return ability give him a good opportunity to make the football team. Besides his blazing speed, one thing that stands out about Malik Benson is his hands. He had one drop last season and a drop rate of 2.3% according to PFF. Benson catches everything that is thrown his way. The perfect example is the play below, where he gets a back shoulder on a slot fade from QB Dante Moore . The former Oregon Duck does a great job of tracking the football in the air and makes a toe-drag swag catch using pure hands along the sideline. Here is another example of Benson exhibiting his great hands. In this play against Washington , he is running a dig route over the middle of the field against a zone defense. At the top of his route, Benson stops expecting the pass to hit him between the zone, but the ball is a little ahead of him. He stretches out and grabs the pass out of the air and then uses his YAC ability to finish off the play with a touchdown. Of course, what he truly brings to the table is that he is a serious threat to the Raiders’ offense. He had a big game against James Madison with two touchdowns of over 50 yards. The first one displays how he can just use his pure speed to win over the top. Benson doesn’t use much nuance on the route and just runs past the defender for six and a huge play for the Oregon offense. With a team looking for huge plays from their offense, Benson is the perfect fit for the new look offense. While he might have to earn his stripes returning kicks for the Raiders, he could become a contributor on offense later on in the season
WR · LV
general
Malik Benson adds another Klint Kubiak type of wide receiver to Las Vegas Raiders’ roster via 2026 NFL draft
Many expected the Las Vegas Raiders to make wide receiver a bigger priority in the 2026 NFL draft, but the Raiders didn’t take one until the sixth round, adding Oregon’s Malik Benson to the roster. That being said, it’s easy to see why Las Vegas was interested in the former Duck because he fits head coach Klint Kubiak’s profile for the position pretty well . Size-wise, Kubiak has an affinity for receivers who are around six feet tall and 190 pounds, making the 6-foot-0, 189-pound wideout a good match. The coach also likes pass catchers who can operate out of the slot and out wide, and who have some speed. While Benson only recorded 20.1 percent of his pass snaps on the inside last year, he logged 186 yards on nine catches and 3.51 yards per route run from the slot, according to Pro Football Focus . And he notched a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. With that in mind, let’s flip on the tape and see what the former track star can bring to the Raiders’ offense. Likely another reason Kubiak is interested in Benson is that he’s a smart receiver who is good at recognizing when he’s in a soft spot against zone coverage. Here, he’s running a simple slant route against Cover 3 from USC. Once he sees the linebacker in front of him widen past the hash mark and the inside backer stay in the middle of the field, the wideout knows he’s in a hole in the zone and slows down to avoid running into coverage and maximize the quarterback’s throwing window. Then, he shows off some burst to tack on nearly 20 yards after the catch. It’s simple, but the combination of football IQ and speed can lead to an explosive play off of a short throw. Speaking of, this next clip is almost the same as the last one; the route is just further down the field. Oregon comes out in a three-by-one formation where Benson is the single receiver on the short side of the field and runs a backside dig route, while Washington plays Cover 3 and the free safety cheats toward the trips receivers. The safety’s movement tells the quarterback to get to the backside of his read, where the wideout has done a good job of exposing the holes in the coverage. Once Benson gets out of his cut, he knows the corner will pass him off and slows down to give the quarterback a couple of windows to throw into: either between the backside curl-to-flat and hook-to-curl defenders, or between the two hook-to-curl defenders. Also, had the safety stayed in the middle of the field, he’d be driving on the dig route. So continuing to run the route at full speed would mean Benson is running himself into coverage in a normal circumstance against this look. As a result, the quarterback hits the wideout between the two hook-to-curl defenders, and he shows off some strong hands to make the catch on a ball that’s up and away from his body. For the record, he only had one drop at a 2.3 percent rate last season, per PFF . Finally, that 4.37-speed shows up after the catch, as the speed demon breaks a few angles and high steps out of a tackle attempt to record a 64-yard touchdown that put the Ducks up two possessions in the fourth quarter. While Benson isn’t very shifty to juke defensive backs out, he does have good vision and burst to make plays after the catch and averaged 4.2 YAC per reception in 2025. That’s another receiver trait that Kubiak gravitates toward. Something that Benson does well as a route runner is using his speed to manipulate defensive backs. On this rep, he’s running an out route against off coverage from the slot and does a solid job of pushing vertical to get the nickelback to back pedal and create even more space before cutting toward the sideline on the intermediate route. Now, Benson does drift instead of snapping the route off after the cut, and that’s one area of improvement for him at the next level. As good as his linear speed is, he received a poor Relative Athletic Score for lateral movement and change of direction skills. However, the sixth-rounder manages [... truncated ...]
WR · LV
general
Malik Benson brings professionalism to NFL
Ross Douglas knows what it takes for a wide receiver to make it in the NFL. And Douglas has no doubt his former wide receiver at Oregon, Malik Benson, has what it takes to succeed at the next level. “There’s no doubt,” Douglas told Silver and Black Pride in a telephone interview. “His professionalism really showed last season. He knows how to take advantage of opportunities He showed up (in 2025) as a fourth or fifth receiver and just kept earning the trust of the coaching staff and the quarterback. He just got better and better as the season wore on. I wish I had more than one season with him, but the Raiders are getting a player whose best football is ahead of his and he will have a great attitude.” The Raiders took Benson in the sixth round of the draft and there has been a lot of buzz that he can carve out a role for himself early in his career. Douglas, who has two seasons of NFL experience as the New England Patriots ’ wide receiver coach, said he believes Benson has all the traits of being a successful NFL player. “He runs well and has has good ball skills, anytime a player has those skills it will translate well to the NFL,” Douglas said. “He has a great attitude as well. He’ll be one of the first guys in the building and one of the last to leave. His best football is ahead of him. He has good habits of a pro and I think he’ll play for a long time.” Douglas said he was “surprised” that Benson lasted until the sixth round and he believes the Silver and Black got a steal. “I understand the business and the nature of the draft,” Douglas said. “Some other guys may have had more consistent production through their careers … But based on my experience with him and his tape from last season, I thought he’d be taken higher … But I think he’s in a great spot to have success in the league.”
general
5 Undrafted Free Agents with best chance to make Las Vegas Raiders’ 53-man roster
Even after making 10 selections during the 2026 NFL draft , general manager John Spytek was busy adding 17 undrafted free agents to the roster. Of course, the Raiders are a long way away from having to settle in on a 53-man roster , but let’s take an early look at a few UDFAs who have a good chance to make the cut, considering who is in front of them on the depth chart. Wide receiver is one of the biggest remaining holes on Las Vegas’ roster after the draft. Many expected the club to prioritize the position, but Spytek didn’t add a wideout until the sixth round (Malik Benson). That gives any receiver on the roster a fighter’s chance to make the team during training camp, especially a UDFA who caught passes from Fernando Mendoza last season. Williams managed to haul in 36 receptions for 438 yards and six touchdowns last season, and the 6-foot-3, 205-pound receiver has the frame to fill the void at ‘X’ potentially. Along the same lines, Roberts stands at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds. He doesn’t have the immediate chemistry with Mendoza, but the BYU product is the better prospect and was more productive than Williams, giving him a leg up if the competition is between the two of them. Roberts had 54 grabs, 802 yards and six touchdowns for the Cougars last season. Another former Hoosier who could find a home in Las Vegas. Hemby toted the rock 230 times and racked up 1,118 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns to be the National Champions’ leading rusher, ahead of San Francisco 49ers ’ third-round pick Kaelon Black. Meanwhile, the Raiders have their first two backs in the fold with Ashton Jeanty and fourth-round pick Mike Washington Jr., but the third spot is very much up for grabs. Hemby will have to beat out Dylan Laube and Chris Collier , and special teams could be the deciding factor, especially since Laube can contribute as a returner. The Indiana product doesn’t have much return experience, but he did return 16 kickoffs in college, including nine last season. Defensively, one of the biggest surprises from the Raiders’ draft was that they didn’t prioritize adding a nose tackle, as Spytek didn’t take a defensive tackle until his last pick of the draft (Brandon Cleveland). That’s good news for Smith, who ranked fourth among Big Ten defensive tackles with an 82.3 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus last season. The 6-foot-1, 323-pound d-lineman also finished third with 24 “ defensive stops ” against the run in 2025. The front office moved on from Daniel Carlson this offseason, replacing Carlson with Matt Gay during free agency. However, Gay made just 73.9 percent of his field goal attempts last season and was in the low 80s during the 2024 and 2023 campaigns. That leaves the door open for Matsuzawa, who hit 93.1 percent of his field goals this past fall. Plus, an elite nickname like ‘The Tokoyo Toe’ has to count for something, right?
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.