The Las Vegas Raiders‘ running game has been a mess for years, and it’s not getting better. Ashton Jeanty was highly touted coming out of college, which led to him being a top-10 draft pick.
So far, he has not lived up to the hype. The Raiders finally decided to give rookie Mike Washington Jr. a bigger role in Week 8 against the New York Jets. Jeanty only had two carries in the game.
While the Raiders’ offensive line is clearly an issue in the run game, Jeanty just isn’t making the type of plays the team thought he would when they drafted him. He’s still young and can turn things around, but questions are starting to arise.
The Athletic’s Josh Kendall and Chad Graff gave a reality check for each team in the NFL. For the Raiders, they said Jeanty “may not bounce back.”
“It was a tough week for Jeanty,” Kendall and Graff wrote. “After he made disparaging comments about the Jets, ESPN commentator and former Jets head coach Rex Ryan called him ‘soft as Charmin.’ On Sunday, the No. 6 pick in the 2025 draft was essentially benched for rookie Mike Washington. Jeanty finished with two carries for 9 yards, while Washington had 25 for 83.”
Raiders Still Have Plans for Jeanty
Though things aren’t looking great for Jeanty, the Raiders haven’t given up on him yet. He’s a hard worker and a team leader, so there’s still hope he can turn things around. Head coach Klint Kubiak acknowledged that Mike Washington’s role will continue to evolve, but Jeanty is still part of the equation.
“We’re going to need Mike, we’re going to need Ashton, we’re going to need Dylan (Laube). They’re all part of our success, run and pass,” Kubiak said. “Just the way the game went yesterday, Mike got more carries, and going forward, we’re going to be counting on all three of those guys.”
The Raiders are a young team, and Kubiak is a new coach. He’s still trying to figure out what to do.
“We have a young roster, and we’re going to give guys opportunities and see what fits us best,” Kubiak said. “But your 11, whether you’re playing really well or not playing well at all, it’s always going to change a little bit.”
Jeanty Still Making Plays in the Passing Game
Jeanty may not be ripping big runs for the Raiders, but he’s finding ways to make an impact in other ways. He has emerged as a really good receiving threat. This season, he has 37 catches for 376 receiving yards.
He actually has more receiving yards than rushing yards this season. Jeanty wasn’t known as a big-time receiver in college, but if that’s how he has to make an impact at the NFL level, he should lean into it.
Jeanty has no problem if the Raiders want to lean into what he does well.
“I’ve been really good in the pass game, and Mike’s been good in the run game,” Jeanty said. “So, I think they just wanted to take advantage of what we’re good at.”
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