Ashton Jeanty could be one of the breakout stars for the Las Vegas Raiders this upcoming 2026 NFL season. With a new head coach in Klint Kubiak, the second-year running back will likely have someone who can get the most out of him.
Jeanty is coming off a challenging 2025 season, but despite the issues with the Raiders‘ offense, he still put up respectable numbers. He still recorded an overall PFF grade of 70.4 while playing 770 snaps for the Silver and Black last season.
Furthermore, the Raiders’ young star carried the ball 266 times for 975 rushing yards and five touchdowns, averaging 3.7 yards per attempt on the ground while forcing 61 missed tackles as a runner.
In a July 21 video on his YouTube channel, Jeanty shared his thoughts on what he expects from himself heading into Year 2 with the Silver and Black.
“I think I was a little too in my head, feeling the pressure and feeling like I always needed to prove something,” Jeanty said. “But this year, I’m just going out there and having fun.
“It’s just football, not putting too much pressure on myself and being the best teammate I can be, bringing the guys together more and being the best version of myself so I can make the team better. By doing that, I’ll accomplish all my personal goals and be able to contribute to the team’s success.”
Ashton Jeanty Excited About New Faces With the Raiders
Moreover, Jeanty is excited for the new rookies and veteran players who have arrived this offseason to turn the team into a competitive side after a 2025 season that saw the Raiders be the worst team.
“It’s been cool,” Jeanty added. “Obviously, all the running backs like Mike [Washington Jr.], Roman [Hemby], Patrick [Gurd] and Fernando [Mendoza]. The fan favorite, shout out Kirko Chains, man.
“He’s a great guy and has been fun to be around. He’s full of dad jokes. It’s been cool getting to know all the guys. I can’t say the young guys because I’m still a young guy. It’s been cool getting to meet them and get to know them all.”
The players that the Raiders brought in this offseason will also be helping Jeanty in the running game. Las Vegas invested in improving their offensive line by signing Tyler Linderbaum and Spencer Burford in free agency.
Meanwhile, in the draft, the Raiders drafted Trey Zuhn III in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. With these moves, the Silver and Black are looking to improve their running game to allow Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. to have a major impact on offense.
Marcus Allen Issues Strong Message to Ashton Jeanty
Although Jeanty didn’t cross the 1,000-yard rushing mark last season, Raiders legend Marcus Allen recently stated that he sees the potential in what Jeanty can be for Las Vegas.
“I think, obviously, when he gets a little bit of an opening, he can be special,” Allen said during a July 10 appearance on the NFL Network. “When you reflect back on last year, despite all [the challenges], I think he had a pretty good year. He showed a lot of promise, so I’m looking forward to him doing well this year as well.”
Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty Shares New Mindset Ahead of 2026 Season