A 1-1 New Orleans Saints squad plays their first home game of 2026 when they host the 2-0 Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. The Saints look to continue momentum from their 24-17 victory at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. The Raiders are looking for three straight wins for the first time since late November of the 2022 season.
New Orleans has gotten a high level of play from quarterback Tyler Shough and his receivers. Defensively, several players have stepped up at key times against Baltimore and in the second half against the Detroit Lions. For the Saints to defeat the surprising Raiders, they'll undoubtedly need another big outing from Shough but here are the positions that are likely needed to pull it off.
Offensive tackle
New Orleans suffered a huge blow when left
tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. suffered an ankle injury that could sideline him for the season. Asim Richards will step in for Banks. Better play is also needed from right tackle Taliese Fuaga, who has gotten off to an uneven start. Expected to be a team strength coming into 2026, Saints tackles are now under pressure for continued offensive success.
Richards has the monumental task of taking on Raiders edge Maxx Crosby, one of the league's best pass rushers. Fuaga has an equally important assignment against Kwity Paye on his side. If Fuaga can handle Paye one-on-one, it will allow New Orleans to help Richards against Crosby with double-teams. Additionally, Richards and Fuaga must get push on the edge to help wake up what's been an invisible New Orleans running game.
Wide receivers
Shough has been getting most of the attention, and he has had an outstanding start to the year. Wideouts Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele, along with tight end Juwan Johnson, have also been terrific. Olave has caught 18 of his 23 targets for 268 yards, converting a league-best 13 first downs. Vele has 12 receptions on 16 targets for 133 yards and 6 first downs. Johnson has 7 catches from his 11 targets for yards 120 yards and 5 first downs.
Opposing quarterbacks have just a 55.6% completion percentage against Raiders coverage for only 184 yards per game. Corners Darien Porter, Eric Stokes, Taron Johnson, and Hezekiah Masses have done a nice job bottling up opposing receivers. Shough has the confidence in Olave, Vele, and Johnson to get the ball to them in any situation against any coverage. Without the semblance of a running game, it will likely come down to Shough and his pass catchers to provide the difference. If you're looking for an X-Factor here, keep an eye on athletic wideout Bryce Lance, a rookie fourth round choice getting more reps weekly.
Defensive line
New Orleans will be without rookie defensive tackle Christen Miller (toe) for the second straight game. This will further thin out an already concerning position group against the Raiders. The Saints will go with Davon Godchaux and Khristian Boyd to replace Miller at the nose, but don't be surprised if they drop Cameron Jordan or Carl Granderson down on the defensive line in more four man fronts. Linemen Vernon Broughton and Nathan Shepherd played better against Baltimore than in the season opener, but the defense needs more from them and doesn't have a quality rotation.
Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty has yet to really showcase the skills that made him the sixth overall choice in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, coach Klint Kubiak is going to want to establish his running game against a New Orleans defense that's had trouble stopping it. The Saints have allowed 273 rushing yards and 5 yards per carry through two games. Broughton, Shepherd, and the rest of the defensive line must close off gaps and get some push inside to take the Raiders rushing attack out of this game.
Linebackers
The importance of stopping the Raiders running game has already been highlighted. A major key will be the performance of the defensive line, but linebackers Kaden Elliss and Pete Werner will also be crucial. Werner (18 tackles) and Elliss (15 tackles) have each played good football so far with some big stops. They'll each be tasked with not only taking Jeanty out of the game, but making precise reads.
Elliss and Werner will also play a big role against the Raiders passing attack. Werner is a liability in coverage, but could be used as an interior blitzer to disrupt the immobile Kirk Cousins. Elliss is a disruptive blitzer and is expected to be a big part of pressuring the Raiders quarterback. He'll also be used in coverage packages against Jeanty and tight end Michael Mayer. Brock Bowers is expected to play against the Saints, so New Orleans will likely use a defensive back on him whenever possible. That will mean Elliss, and perhaps Werner, will draw coverage assignments on Mayer. One of the two can create havoc as a blitzer, with the other tasked to take away easy intermediate throws to Mayer and force Cousins to hold the ball longer.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Key positions to watch in Saints-Raiders Week 3 matchup
