Dolphins vs. Raiders Week 1 Preview: Two Teams Begin New Eras in Las Vegas

The Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders will open their 2026 seasons Sunday afternoon in a matchup featuring two teams entering completely different chapters.

Miami will travel to Allegiant Stadium for a 1:25 p.m. PT kickoff on FOX. The Dolphins enter the season with a new head coach and quarterback, while Las Vegas begins the Klint Kubiak era with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins under center.

The Dolphins will turn to Malik Willis at quarterback after moving on from Tua Tagovailoa during the offseason.

Willis spent the previous two seasons with Green Bay and showed flashes of his ability as both a passer and runner. Miami is hoping the athletic quarterback can provide stability while Jeff Hafley begins his first season as head coach.

The Dolphins also have one of the NFL's youngest rosters, with 13 rookies making up nearly a quarter of the active roster.

The biggest weapon on offense will be running back De'Von Achane. After signing a new four-year contract, Achane enters the season as one of Miami's most important players and could see a heavy workload against a Raiders defense that struggled to stop the run last season.

The Raiders will counter with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Cousins was brought in to provide experience while No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza develops. Mendoza is currently behind Cousins on the depth chart, making the veteran quarterback's performance particularly important to the Raiders' hopes of getting off to a fast start.

Cousins will have running back Ashton Jeanty available after the second-year back returned to full practice following an ankle injury. Jeanty could be one of the biggest factors in the game.

Las Vegas will be without one of its biggest offensive stars.

Tight end Brock Bowers underwent knee surgery and is expected to miss the season opener, leaving Michael Mayer and Ian Thomas to handle the tight end responsibilities. Bowers' absence removes a major target from Cousins' offense.

That could put even more pressure on Jeanty and the Raiders' running game.

Meanwhile, Maxx Crosby remains the centerpiece of a Las Vegas defense that will need to create pressure against Willis.

The biggest matchup will be De'Von Achane against the Raiders' defense .

Miami ranked 13th in the NFL in rushing last season, while Las Vegas finished 32nd. If Achane can break loose early, the Dolphins could control the tempo and keep pressure off Willis.

On the other side, Miami's defense must prevent Jeanty from taking over. If the Raiders can establish their running game, Cousins should have opportunities to make plays downfield.

This is a difficult game to predict because both teams are still trying to establish new identities.

The Raiders have home-field advantage and a more experienced quarterback, while Miami has the more explosive running back and enters the game with plenty to prove.

Expect a physical opener in Las Vegas, with Cousins making enough plays late to give Kubiak his first victory as Raiders head coach.