The Las Vegas Raiders got off to a hot start to the 2026 NFL season, with new head coach Klint Kubiak guiding the storied franchise to three straight wins, which captured the attention of the rest of the league.
Unfortunately, the Raiders then went on a four-game skid, with many questioning whether Kubiak’s squad was for real.
In Week 8, Kirk Cousins and company hit the road to face the New York Jets and put on an impressive offensive display in a much-needed win, putting up 38 points at MetLife Stadium.
However, star running back Ashton Jeanty wasn’t really involved in the run game, recording only two carries for nine rushing yards.
However, he had an impact as a receiver, catching three passes for 63 yards, but his lack of carries dominated the headlines this week.
Klint Kubiak Still Views Ashton Jeanty as Potential Bell-Cow RB
Ahead of Week 9’s matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in the Bay Area at Levi’s Stadium, Kubiak spoke to the media and was asked if he still views Jeanty as a potential bell cow running back.
“Absolutely, yeah,” Kubiak said of Jeanty. “Ashton’s a young player and has a really bright future ahead, and so glad that we have him. So glad we have him and all the young players on the roster. We’re continuing to grow and it’s our job as coaches to develop them.”
Obviously, with the Raiders selecting Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Las Vegas has invested a lot in the Boise State product, so giving up on him this early wouldn’t make much sense.
Kubiak is clearly still keeping the door open for Jeanty to be the running back they envision him to be, even though rookie Mike Washington Jr. might be the more impactful player out of the backfield, like he was against the Jets.
Washington got the bulk of the carries in Week 8’s win in New York, racking up 83 rushing yards on 25 carries.
Ashton Jeanty & Mike Washington Jr. to Split Carries
There was a change in philosophy for Kubiak at the running back position last week, and it appears he’s going to run with the hot hand moving forward.
The first-year head coach believes competition in the backfield is a good thing, as it should get the best out of both players.
“It’s always the best motivator,” Kubiak said of competition in the running back room. “Coaching takes you so far, but when you are competing for reps, it adds a new gear to your giddy up in practice.”
Kubiak was asked if he sees the split of carries between Washington and Jeanty being a week-to-week thing.
“I do, I do. Yeah,” Kubiak said.
It’ll be interesting to see which young running back gets the most carries on Sunday against the 49ers, and if it is Washington again, that might be the direction Kubiak goes from here on out, with Jeanty potentially being more of a pass-catching back.
Raiders’ Klint Kubiak Gives Telling Answer About Ashton Jeanty’s Role