The Las Vegas Raiders are less than one week away from hosting the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. Though the Raiders remain in the rebuilding phase, they possess a clear advantage over the Dolphins. They're a year ahead in their roster rebuild, making them Sunday favorites.
There are some similarities between the Raiders and Dolphins. Both franchises will debut first-year coaches, with Klint Kubiak having taken control of the Raiders earlier this offseason, and Jeff Hafley getting the Dolphins job.
One critical area where the Raiders possess a clear advantage is at quarterback. They've already drafted their franchise quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall. Veteran Kirk Cousins will start versus the Dolphins for the Raiders,
but having the future answer is a distinct difference.
The Dolphins will be starting Malik Willis as a stopgap option. Everyone thinks they'll be targeting a quarterback prospect like Arch Manning or Dante Moore in 2027. And most think they'll be bad enough to earn a top pick in April's draft.
The Dolphins tore their roster down this offseason, parting ways with household names like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Meanwhile, the Raiders were aggressive in the market by adding free agents like Tyler Linderbaum, Jalen Nailor, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and others. The mentality changes when you already have the quarterback on your roster.
The Raiders should like their chances versus the Dolphins in Week 1.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders are a year ahead of Week 1 opponent Dolphins
