Raiders' Malik Benson: Negative yardage in NFL debut
Rotowire
Benson caught one pass (on two targets) for six yards while taking his lone carry for minus-8 yards during the Raiders' 27-13 win over the Dolphins on Sunday. He also returned two punts for 35 yards.
Benson caught a six-yard pass from Kirk Cousins in what was the former's first NFL catch, though he lost eight yards on a double reverse that the Dolphins defense snuffed out. Benson's seven snaps on offense were the fewest among Raiders wide receivers Sunday, and even with Brock Bowers (knee) sidelined, the rookie sixth-rounder figures to be an afterthought in Las Vegas' offense, though he'll have the opportunity to make plays on special teams as a punt returner.
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Raiders' Malik Benson: Poor showing in second preseason game
Rotowire
Benson caught one of five targets for 18 yards in Thursday's 22-20 preseason win over the Texans.
Benson's stock had been on the rise thanks to a strong training camp in which he earned opportunities with the first-team offense, but the 2026 sixth-round pick produced a dud in Vegas' second preseason game. He struggled to get on the same page with fellow rookie Fernando Mendoza, and one of their incompletions was an ugly Benson drop on third down in the second quarter, which resulted in the Raiders punting rather than moving the chains. Benson still has an opportunity to carve out a substantial role in Vegas' wide receiver room, and he'll look to bounce back in next Thursday's preseason finale against the 49ers.
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Raiders' Malik Benson: Earning first-team reps
Rotowire
Benson has been getting more reps with the first-team offense, Levi Edwards of the Raiders' official site reports.
"[Benson's] earned those reps but he's got to stay humble and stay hungry," head coach Klint Kubiak told reporters after Sunday's training camp practice. Benson, a sixth-round selection of the 2026 NFL Draft, played 20 snaps on offense during the Raiders' 27-14 preseason loss to the Cardinals on Thursday and caught two passes (on four targets) for 26 yards while returning one kickoff for 21 yards. There are still a few weeks to go before the regular season gets underway, but for now, it appears as though Benson is pushing Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton (undisclosed) for the WR3 role behind Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor.
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Raiders' Malik Benson: Impressing early
Rotowire
Benson turned heads during the Raiders' mandatory minicamp, Levi Edwards of the team's official site reports.
Edwards identified Benson as one of the biggest standouts of the Raiders' offseason program, noting that the rookie connected with multiple quarterbacks on deep passes during practices open to the media. The sixth-round pick enters training camp in what Ryan McFadden of ESPN reports to be an open competition at wide receiver, and his speed and ability to stretch the field could help him carve out a role if he builds on that momentum. Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton represent Benson's main competition for snaps.
