Two weeks into the season, the Raiders’ defensive line is stealing headlines. Jonah Laulu has surged to the forefront with 3 sacks, sitting just behind the league leaders, while Thomas Booker IV has flashed elite interior pressure after a camp trade for Jakorian Bennett. Las Vegas has also benefited from the Wilkins release and big paydays for Crosby, Butler, and Koonce, fueling a top-5 run defense early.

Early returns point to a transformative interior rush for Las Vegas, with Laulu and Booker forming a dynamic pair that could lift the unit all season. If the trend holds, the Raiders’ schemed pressure and run-stopping ability may redefine the defense in fantasy alike.

Chargers stun the league by beating Kansas City 27-21 in Brazil, signaling a sizzle-filled start to 2025. Week 2 sends them to Las Vegas for a division showdown with the Raiders, who opened with a win over New England. Public picks lean heavily toward LAC, foreseeing another big Herbert-led showing as the offense looks to ride its momentum while the defense flexes in a tough AFC West stretch.

Fantasy-angle notes: watch for Chargers injury bulletins—Rashawn Slater sidelined and Denzel Perryman dealing with an ankle issue—while Herbert, Ekeler, and the receiving corps remain core plays if protection holds. The Chargers’ blueprint could influence Week 2 stacks and divisional race dynamics as they chase a top seed and LV seeks a bounce-back effort at home.

In this Week 2 thriller, fantasy managers should weigh Herbert's ceiling against LV’s defensive adjustments, target share shifts among the Chargers receivers, and the Raiders’ willingness to pressure the pocket in a Monday-night tilt.

Lamar Jackson sparked Baltimore with a blend of air and elite improvisation, including a 70+ yard scramble that kept the offense dynamic. DeAndre Hopkins popped immediately on the opening target, finishing with a 29-yard one-handed TD that signaled instant chemistry. Rookie Zay Flowers piled up 143 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Tyler Loop answered the road environment with a pair of long makes (52 and 49 yards) before a missed PAT and kickoff miscue kept the Ravens in a tougher spot. Buffalo escaped late on a game-winning Matt Prater field goal, exposing Ravens’ late-game softness and turnover risk. Fantasy take: ride Jackson, Hopkins, and Flowers while Loop adds upside but comes with risk; Linderbaum anchors the line and Madubuike rushes when Baltimore plays with urgency, even as the defense and special teams stumble late.

Las Vegas opens 2025 on the road at New England, a Week 1 litmus test for Pete Carroll’s Raiders. Five Raiders have the most to prove: Jordan Meredith at center, Geno Smith at quarterback, Kyu Blu Kelly at cornerback, Malcolm Koonce at defensive end, and Ashton Jeanty at running back. Meredith won the pivot job and will face a stout Patriots front, while Smith aims to spark a new Raiders era in Chip Kelly’s system.

Kelly must lock the outside, Koonce must rebound from ACL, and Jeanty must translate college production to the NFL. Their early impact will set the tone for Vegas’s season and test the Carroll-era blueprint in a hostile opener.