2025 Las Vegas Raiders Projected Finish, Key Signings and Fantasy Stars

Brock Bowers (YouTube)

In the 17th of a 32-part series, we are featuring all National Football League teams with a prediction of where each team will finish within their division, key off-season acquisitions and their top fantasy stars. Here are the Las Vegas Raiders.

Key Off-Season Acquisitions

The Raiders acquired key acquisitions from different teams in the offseason–two via trade, and two via free agency. They were two players on offense and two on defense.

The Raiders made trades in the offseason with the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles. They acquired quarterback Geno Smith of Miramar, Florida from the Seahawks for a third round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (the Seahawks selected quarterback Jalen Milroe out of the University of Alabama). The Raiders also acquired defensive back Thomas Booker IV of Ellicott City, Mayland from the Eagles for cornerback Jakorian Bennett of Mobile, Alabama.

Smith is joining his fifth NFL franchise. He was previously with the New York Jets (2013 to 2016), the New York Giants (2017), the Los Angeles Chargers (2018), and the Seahawks (2020 to 2024). A two-time Pro Bowler (2022 and 2023), Smith completed 407 passes in 578 attempts in 2024 with 4320 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He also had 53 rushes for 272 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The first rushing touchdown was for 34 yards and came in a 26-20 Seahawks win over the Denver Broncos on September 8, and the second rushing touchdown was for 13 yards and was the game-winning touchdown in a 20-17 Seahawks win over the San Francisco 49ers on November 17.

The Raiders will be Booker IV’s third NFL team. He played with the Houston Texans in 2022 before joining the Eagles in 2023. In 2024, Bennett IV had 18 combined tackles (10 assisted tackles and eight solo tackles), two tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits, one pass deflection and one sack. The pass deflection came on September 22 in a 15-12 Eagles win over the New Orleans Saints. In the Eagles’s 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns on October 13, and in the Eagles’s 41-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys on December 29, Booker IV had a quarterback hit and half a sack in each contest. He was also on the Eagles team that won the Super Bowl in February.

On March 13, the Raiders signed safety Jeremy Chinn of Fishers, Indiana to a two year deal worth $16.3 million. Chinn is joining his third NFL franchise after four seasons from 2020 to 2023 with the Carolina Panthers and one season with the Washington Commanders in 2024. This past season in the American capital, Chinn had 117 combined tackles (73 solo tackles and 44 assisted tackles), seven tackles for a loss, three quarterback hits, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, five forced fumbles, one forced fumble and one interception. The forced fumble and two two sacks came in Commanders wins. The forced fumble came in a 42-14 Commanders win over the Arizona Cardinals on September 29. The first sack was in a 20-19 Commaders win over the New Orleans Saints on December 15, and the second sack was in a 23-19 Commanders win over the Dallas Cowboys on January 5.

The Raiders also signed tackle Alex Cappa of Dublin, California to a two year deal worth $11 million. Cappa previously played four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2018 to 2021, and three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2022 to 2024. While with the Buccaneers, Cappa won the Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2020.

The Raiders also made a significant coaching change. In is Pete Carroll of San Francisco, California, who is replacing Antonio Pierce. Carroll previously coached the New York Jets, New England Patriots, and Seattle Seahawks, and won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2014.

Fantasy Stars

Tight end Brock Bowers of Napa, California is ranked second at his position. Last season as a rookie, he was selected to the Pro Bowl, and had 112 catches for 1194 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Kicker Daniel Carlson is ranked ninth at his position. Last season he made 34 of 40 field goals and 23 of 25 converts.

Projected Finish

The Raiders should be last in the AFC West. They are good as any team in the division offensively, but are not as good as the other three teams in the division defensively.