The Las Vegas Raiders will be looking to have a better showing with their run game, as they only recorded 95 rushing yards in the Week 8 win over the New York Jets. Whether it’s Ashton Jeanty or Mike Washington Jr., the Silver and Black probably want one or even both to carry the load.
Nonetheless, the Niners’ defense will be looking to take away the Raiders’ run game and have them be one-dimensional. Ahead of the Week 9 game in the Bay Area, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner spoke about Jeanty and the Las Vegas rushing attack.
“Dangerous,” Warner told KNBR’s Larry Krueger in a Nov. 6 video when talking about Jeanty. “You can see the speed, his ability to break away from guys. He has a bigger body, having to put body on body with a bigger running back like that, but don’t get it wrong, Jeanty is really talented. There’s a reason why he went where he went in the draft, and we have to obviously be ready for him.”
Jeanty has played 360 total snaps for the Raiders so far this season, leading to a 66.8 overall PFF grade. Moreover, the second-year running back has carried the ball 108 times for 337 rushing yards and one touchdown while averaging 3.1 yards per attempt on the ground and forcing 10 missed tackles as a runner.
Meanwhile, in the passing game, where Jeanty has been more effective, he has caught 37 passes on 46 targets for 376 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Fred Warner Knows Ashton Jeanty Can Have Breakout Game
In the win over New York, Jeanty only had two carries. However, Warner noted that the San Francisco defense is going to be well prepared for a high volume of carries from him if the Raiders decide to lean on Jeanty in this game.
“If and when they do give him more carries this game, I know he obviously got fewer carries this past game, but he’s really talented in terms of his contact balance, running the football, and receiving the football as well,” Warner added. “So we have to be ready for both those guys.”
Jeanty has the potential to have an impact game both as a runner and pass catcher, so Warner and the 49ers defense want to ensure that it won’t be against them.
Raiders Receive Candid Ashton Jeanty Message Before Week 9
Speaking of Jeanty, former Raiders’ Rashad Jennings recently stated that the team needs to figure out if the second-year running back fits the system of head coach Klint Kubiak.
“Here’s the thing that you have to ask yourself: Sometimes you have a talented guy, and sometimes you have a guy who fits the system,” Jennings said during a Nov. 5 appearance on “Yahoo! Sports Daily.”
“It’s great when it works out, and you have a talented guy who fits the system. In this situation, the question would not be, ‘Is Ashton Jeanty a good ballplayer?’ That’s irrelevant.
“He’s in the league as a first-round draft pick. We know that. But is Washington a better fit for the system? If your answer is yes, then it’s time to put him on the market. From a business perspective, let’s shop him around as well.”
49ers’ Fred Warner Issues Candid Statement About Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty