Kirk Cousins Keeps Starting Job in Las Vegas

Kirk Cousins isn't losing his job — at least not yet. According to ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports), Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak opened his Monday press conference by declaring Cousins the starter for Week 8 against the Jets. "There is no controversy there," Kubiak said.

Kirk Cousins

The declaration comes with an asterisk. Cousins went 26-of-44 for 295 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 35-21 loss to the Rams, but ProFootballTalk notes he produced most of that output after the Raiders trailed 28-3 — classic garbage-time padding that inflates a stat line without moving the needle on winning. The Raiders are now 3-4 and on a four-game skid.

Kubiak did acknowledge that rookie Fernando Mendoza "is going to play at some point," which is a quiet warning light for Cousins' fantasy managers. For now, Cousins retains the starting role against a Jets defense that may not be a layoff spot, so temper expectations before loading up based on the stat line alone. In dynasty formats, the Mendoza watch is real — Kubiak has now publicly floated him twice in two days. Keep that in mind before buying Cousins' volume at face value.