DEVELOPING: Jayden Maiava is reportedly viewed as a “late first round” QB prospect by several NFL scouts. One NFL scout reportedly believes there’s some “shades” of Dak Prescott (Cowboys QB) to Maiava’s game. The Trojans QB looks to be next in line at Lincoln Riley’s NFL QB factory.

TIME TO START FERNANDO 🏴‍☠️🏈 I love me some Kirko Chainz! 😎 Respect the hell out of what he’s done the first half of the season, but sorry, it’s time to make a change! Raiders can still make the playoffs, but they’ve got to start winning NOW. ⏳ I know, Cousins is lighting it up, leading the league in TD passes. 🔥 The problem is the run game is nonexistent. The OL can’t create running lanes, and the WR corps doesn’t force defenses to respect the threat outside. Defenses stack the box, dare the Raiders to win one-on-one, and live with the results. That’s why it’s time to start Fernando Mendoza. 👀 The No. 1 overall pick brings something Kirk doesn’t — mobility. Bootlegs, zone reads, RPOs, and the ability to get outside when the pocket collapses force defenses to account for the QB as a runner. That changes the math. 📈 It can open running lanes for Jeanty and company, create opportunities in the passing game, and give this offense another dimension. It could help the defense, too. Longer drives, fewer three-and-outs, more time to rest. This defense has been getting gashed. Keeping them off the field longer can only help. 💪 Now, I get the counterargument. Mendoza might not be ready. Putting a rookie behind a shaky OL can lead to sacks, turnovers, and confidence issues. He may not have the entire playbook down, and a rough start could set him back. I get it. There’s a case for patience. But you don’t find out if the kid is ready by waiting for perfect conditions. You find out by putting him on the field while the season still matters. 🎯 Great QBs can make everyone around them better. They elevate the offense, force defenses to prepare differently, and open up possibilities that weren’t there before. And if I’m the GM who spent the No. 1 overall pick on Mendoza, I believe he’s the guy. Otherwise, why did I use that pick on him? You don’t spend that kind of draft capital and then refuse to play him. Trust your evaluation. If you got it wrong, own it. But don’t spend the first pick on your franchise QB and then be afraid to find out what you have. Kubiak is sticking with Kirk this week and says there’s no quarterback controversy. Fine. I can live with one more game. But new head coaches always think they have time. They don’t. Fans get impatient, owners get impatient, and every loss shrinks the runway. ⏰ So it’s time. Start the rookie. Fire up the run game. Stretch the field. Keep the defense fresh. WIN! 🏴‍☠️🔥

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DYLAN SAMPSON: DEEP FLEX / STASH OPTION 👀🏈 Dylan Sampson is healthy and back on the field for Cleveland after missing the previous five games with a knee injury. He was activated and saw his first meaningful action of 2026 last week. 💪 Against Tennessee, he posted 6 carries for 45 yards and went 3/3 for 32 receiving yards — 77 total yards and 10.7 PPR points. Not bad for his first game back, especially if you’re looking for a deep flex or stash option. I can see more of the same this week against Pittsburgh. These teams already met in Week 4, with Cleveland winning 27-24, so they know each other well. The Steelers defense is solid overall — tough against the run, capable of generating pressure, and sound in the secondary. But they’ve still been giving opposing RBs opportunities in the passing game, allowing around 7 targets and 5+ receptions per game to the position. Think HC Monken will want to play Browns football: run the ball and get it to the young playmakers. With Watson potentially forced to check it down on third downs and under pressure, Sampson could benefit. He operated as the clear passing-down complement last week, earning a meaningful route share and drawing 3 targets. I can realistically see 5 carries and 5-6 targets, with a modest floor around 5-6 PPR points and a ceiling in the 9-11 range if the checkdowns connect. He’s not a locked-in starter, but he’s readily available and has a clear path to usable full-PPR volume in the future. Nice stash. PICK HIM UP. 👀🏈