The Las Vegas Raiders held practice on Aug. 23 as they prepare for the final preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 27. However, during that practice session, the Silver and Black were dealt a major blow.
Ryan McFadden of ESPN reported on Aug. 23 that Ashton Jeanty left practice early after suffering an apparent knee injury. Moreover, he noted that during the team period, he was diving for a catch and landed awkwardly.
McFadden added to his reporting that Jeanty was helped off the field by trainers and couldn’t put any pressure on his right leg as the entire team took a knee and said a prayer. Furthermore, the reporter noted that the team does not have a statement at the time.
Despite a challenging rookie season, Jeanty put up respectable numbers for the Raiders. Even with all that going on, Jeanty still recorded a 70.4 overall PFF grade while playing 770 total snaps for the Silver and Black last season.
Jeanty carried the ball 266 times for 975 rushing yards and five touchdowns as he averaged 3.7 yards per attempt on the ground while forcing 61 missed tackles as a runner.
Meanwhile, in the passing game, Jeanty caught 55 passes on 68 targets for 346 receiving yards and five touchdowns. As a result, the Raiders standout recorded over 1,000 yards from scrimmage despite the dysfunction, showing he can play in the league.
Raheem Mostert Has High Expectations for Ashton Jeanty
Given that McFadden wrote it appears to be a knee injury, many hope it isn’t anything too serious, as they expect a big season from Jeanty now that Klint Kubiak is the Raiders’ head coach.
Veteran running back Raheem Mostert was on the 2025 Raiders team, and during the June 25 edition of “The Set,” he didn’t hold back his thoughts on Jeanty and the trajectory that the player is on.
“Hey, when I tell you he’s gonna be one of them ones,” Mostert said about Jeanty. “He is one of them ones now, but he is definitely one of them. He’s different. I’ve witnessed this stuff with my own eyes.
“The type of stuff he did in practice and then in the game, and it translated. I’ve never seen a dude run over another dude and just keep running. The way he lowered his shoulder, it was crazy. He did that multiple times, not just once.”
Raiders Might Have to Lean on Mike Washington Jr.
If Jeanty has to miss any time or if the injury is serious, it will be up to rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. to help carry the load.
In the preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals, Washington had six carries for 63 rushing yards, averaging 10.5 yards per carry, with his longest run being 53 yards. Meanwhile, in the second game against the Houston Texans, he registered nine carries for 56 rushing yards, with his longest run being 33 yards.
Recently, fullback Connor Heyward was asked whether Washington reminds him of former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell.
“I see [the Bell comparison] in his game,” Heyward told reporters on Aug. 16. “I also see Mike Washington, a bigger back with speed. I don’t think Le’Veon was running 4.3. That’s nothing against Le’Veon, but Le’Veon was more 4.5, 4.6-ish, kind of hesitated, but Mike can hit it, too. He has that in his game.”
Last season, while playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks, Washington played 571 total snaps, earning a 78.3 overall PFF grade. Moreover, the 23-year-old carried the ball 167 times for 1,066 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
Raiders Get Brutal Ashton Jeanty News Before 49ers Game