According to Ryan McFadden of ESPN, Ashton Jeanty, the running back for the Las Vegas Raiders, exited Sunday’s practice session after sustaining a lower-body injury.
Reports indicate that the sophomore rusher leaped to grab a pass and suffered a clumsy landing. Medical staff assisted him off the gridiron, with observers pointing out his inability to bear weight on his right leg.
As Las Vegas navigates a rebuilding phase under the guidance of newly appointed head coach Klint Kubiak, the team’s offensive strategy was heavily projected to revolve around Jeanty.
Should this setback sideline him for an extended period, the Raiders might be forced to completely restructure their offensive game plan for the year or increase the workload of rookie running back Mike Washington Jr., whom they selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Following an outstanding, record-threatening collegiate campaign at Boise State, Jeanty was taken as the number six pick overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
During his inaugural professional campaign, he participated in all 17 matchups, generating 975 rushing yards and five scores across 266 rushing attempts. Jeanty also contributed heavily in the passing game, catching 55 passes for 346 yards and five additional touchdowns.
With seasoned signal-caller Kirk Cousins set to lead the offense as the Week 1 starter while rookie Fernando Mendoza refines his game on the bench, Las Vegas undoubtedly intended to expand Jeanty’s role and touches during his second year in the league.
Though fantasy sports are secondary to his physical well-being, the potential absence of Jeanty carries significant ramifications for fantasy football managers.
Prior to this physical setback, Jeanty’s average draft position sat at 13th overall on Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football, typically going off the board as the seventh running back selected. This positioning placed him right at the beginning of the second round of drafts.
An injury to his lower body that prevented him from putting pressure on his leg is certainly worrisome; however, until medical examinations yield a definitive diagnosis, managers should hesitate to plummet him down their draft boards.
Even so, elevating the draft status of his primary backup, Washington, is a highly logical move. Originally projected as an excellent late-round insurance policy, he carried an average draft position of 128.2, which equates to roughly the 11th round in standard 12-team formats.
Drafting Washington a bit earlier is highly recommended, as he would likely spearhead the ground game even if the Raiders transition to a shared backfield approach. The depth chart behind him features other ball-carriers like Dare Ogunbowale, Dylan Laube, and Roman Hemby.
Across 12 appearances for Arkansas, Washington amassed 1,070 yards on the ground and found the end zone 13 times overall, including 12 rushing touchdowns.
While Washington might not possess the elite skillset required to permanently usurp Jeanty’s lead role, he was already slated to be a dependable second option. In light of recent events, his potential volume of touches has spiked dramatically.
Should reports confirm that Jeanty will miss the opening weeks of the schedule, expect Washington’s draft stock to surge into the seventh or eighth round, driven by his projected heavy usage early in the year.
