Malik Benson projects to be Raiders' fourth-leading receiver in 2026

Malik Benson was the Las Vegas Raiders ' sixth-round pick (No. 195 overall) in the 2026 NFL Draft. Expectations are not high for him the way that they are for fellow rookies Carnell Tate ( Tennessee Titans ), or KC Concepcion ( Cleveland Browns ), who were both taken in the first round of the draft.

However, the Raiders' WR2 slot is up for the taking. And the talent is there for Benson to carve out a role in Las Vegas' passing attack in 2026. Benson went for 719 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2025 at Oregon.

He showed that he was capable of making a variety of catches while extending the field last season. It's feasible to envision the Raiders' offense producing over 3,500 passing yards next season. Kirk Cousins went for 3,508 passing yards in 14 games played for the Atlanta Falcons in 2024.

Mendoza has the potential to exceed 3,500 passing yards as a rookie in 2026 and regularly find receivers down the field, much to Benson's advantage. In this Raiders Wire projection, Benson will go for 438 receiving yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2026. Brock Bowers, Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor will get the most attention in Las Vegas’ receiving game next season as established veterans, which will impact Benson’s target share.