Much of the attention surrounding the Raiders this offseason has naturally revolved around No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza, the franchise’s new glimmering hope. Mendoza, however, isn’t the only young Raider with a big season ahead.
Second-year running back Ashton Jeanty has a pivotal year in front of him, especially after a disappointing rookie campaign. Jeanty entered the NFL off a spectacular final season in college which saw him lead the nation in rushing and come up 28 yards short of Barry Sanders’s single-season rushing record. He led Boise State to the CFP while racking up honors from unanimous All-American to winning the Doak Walker award while finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Any momentum from that collegiate finale was quickly stalled by the reality of the 2025 Raiders. Bringing in offensive coordinator Chip Kelly didn’t pan out as he was fired midseason and Pete Carroll tabbing his son, Brennan Carroll, as the offensive line coach backfired heavily. Between the coaching staff and an injury to left tackle Kolton Miller, the Raiders’ offensive line especially struggled, ranking 30th in run blocking according to PFF.
This all affected Jeanty, who averaged just 3.7 yards per carry as he rushed for 975 yards and five touchdowns on 266 carries as a rookie. The Raiders’ running game ranked last in the NFL in EPA per rush (-0.26) by a wide margin, and Jeanty ranked last among running backs with at least 100 carries in success rate. He led the league in tackle for loss percentage, according to Next Gen Stats, emphasizing the difficulty he faced as a runner.
Despite a tough start from several lenses, there is plenty of reason to believe Jeanty could turn things around in his sophomore campaign. For one, new coach Klint Kubiak wants to see Jeanty take on a big role with the team.
“We want to put a lot of pressure on Ashton,” Kubiak told reporters. “The next guy that steps up, whoever that may be, that's going to be seen here in practice, OTAs and training camp, but we think we should continue to challenge Ashton and get more out of him.”
Kubiak added, “The best player has got to play, and we've got to get them on the field as much as we can. I don't know the play-snap percentage, but you look at Christian McCaffrey, his play-snap percentage is high. So, those great backs, they don't want to come off the field.”
Jeanty seems enticed by that kind of workload, telling reporters during OTAs this week, “Obviously I want to help the team win as much as I can, and if I don't have to, I don't want to come off the field.”
From his time with the Seahawks and 49ers, Kubiak has been a part of offenses that prioritized the running game. While Seattle was not the most efficient running team in 2025, the Seahawks were productive; Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet combined for over 400 carries and 1,700 yards while averaging at least 4.0 yards per carry. It would not be surprising to see Jeanty take on a significant workload, even with the Raiders drafting a running back in Mike Washington Jr. this year.
Additionally, the offensive line should be better with the return of Miller, the signing of Tyler Linderbaum and improved coaching. Given that Jeanty still rushed for 900 yards despite playing in such a poor situation as a rookie, he could very well be in for a breakout year. Jeanty noted the game has slowed down “a lot” for him and he’s focused on improving after feeling there were times he could’ve played better a season ago.
Even if the supporting cast is just a bit better, it’s easy to believe he could record his first 1,000-yard rushing season. After all, he finished seventh in yards after contact last season, ahead of several backs that recorded more rushing yards than him in Breece Hall, Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs and Kenneth Walker III. He had flashes last season from his three-touchdown game against the Bears to his 60-yard touchdown reception vs. the mighty Texans defense.
ASHTON JEANTY WOWWWWW
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) December 21, 2025
Anytime TD scorer: (+220) 💥
via @NFL | #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/dDRBLokxdm
With the Raiders’ receiving core outside of tight end Brock Bowers still unproven, Jeanty’s abilities as a pass-catcher should also garner him more opportunities on offense. Even if Jeanty doesn’t emerge as one of the top rushers in the league in 2026, he could certainly prove he’s one of the NFL’s better backs, and not a bust.
