3 Key Raiders Players To Watch Against Patriots

Let’s look at the Raiders' key players to watch for Sunday’s game in New England.

Sep 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak speaks with media after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Las Vegas Raiders head east for their first of two East Coast trips this season to face the New England Patriots, coming off a big road win against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.

The Raiders are coming off their first loss of the season to the Kansas City Chiefs, but they have a chance to prove that they are a legitimate team early in the 2026 season. If Las Vegas is to beat the defending AFC champions on their home turf, they’ll need these three players to shine in Foxboro. Here are three key Raiders players to watch on Sunday.

Cody White, Wide Receiver

Sep 27, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Cody White (82) catches the ball for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Earlier this week, I wrote a story on how the Raiders have viewed the former undrafted free agent. The former 3-star recruit was once stuck in a deep pass-catcher room at Michigan State and, years later, is finally making his presence known on an NFL team. White has a chance to have a productive day against a Patriots cornerback room missing Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis.

White has been making big plays this season, and it is evident in how he attacks the football. This week, look for White to be targeted a handful of times this week as quarterback Kirk Cousins looks to take advantage of an injured New England defensive backfield.

Treydan Stukes, Safety

Sep 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders safety Treydan Stukes (31) FaceTimes after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After missing a game against the New Orleans Saints with a concussion, Stukes returned to the field last week and seemed everywhere, using his athleticism and coverage skills on the back end to fly to the football, nearly picking off Patrick Mahomes at one point. This week, he has a chance to make Patriots quarterback Drake Maye suffer when attacking downfield.

Maye is tied for third in the NFL in deep-ball percentage (15.4%), and opposing defenses are exploiting that strength this season. This week seems like another opportunity for Stukes to secure his second interception of the season and force Maye into the short and intermediate; exactly what the Raiders will want.  

Quay Walker, Linebacker

Oct 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs the ball against Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Quay Walker (7) and defensive end Kwity Paye (95) during the second at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Walker’s versatility should come into play this week, and I think he is due for a monster game at the second level. This is his chance to be used effectively as a pass rusher, drop him into coverage if the deep ball is unavailable for Maye and the Patriots, and make stops in the run game against running backs like Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.

Look for Walker to be a big part of defensive coordinator Rob Leonard’s game plan as the Raiders look to shut down offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Maye, and the rest of New England’s offense.