Alarm bells around Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty have gotten louder after his seriously lackluster Week 6 performance against the Buffalo Bills, and it’s got everyone wondering what’s next for their run game. ESPN’s Ryan McFadden hit it right on the head, pointing out the major problem emerging for a team that’s actually started the 2026 season 3-3, which, let’s be real, is a solid start for a rebuilding squad. But that run game? Yikes.
Top-10 Talent, Bottom-Tier Production?
Look, the Raiders invested *heavily* in Jeanty during the 2025 NFL Draft, snagging him inside the top-10. The hope was clear: this dude was supposed to be their franchise-saving running back, the next Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs for their team. But six weeks in, his rushing numbers are just plain subpar for that kind of draft capital. We’ve seen worries brewing for five weeks already, and after another flat performance, the concern for Jeanty can’t be ignored anymore. In that Week 6 game against the Bills, Jeanty ran the ball 10 times for a pathetic 22 yards, even with one touchdown. For a player with that kind of expectation? That’s just not cutting it.
This season, Jeanty has only tallied 313 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown on 98 attempts, averaging out to a measly 3.19 yards per carry. You don’t take a guy in the top-10 for 3.19 YPC, especially when you’re looking for a game-changer. That’s a huge issue that impacts their entire offense.
Time to Unleash Washington?
Here’s where it gets interesting: the rookie backup running back, Mike Washington Jr., is making a strong case for more touches. In that same Bills game, Washington ran the ball nine times for 43 yards, looking way more explosive out there. And his season numbers back it up, too, with Washington sitting at an impressive 4.94 yards per carry behind Jeanty. The Raiders have said they’re not going to rest Jeanty to help his preseason ankle injury heal up, which is a choice. But if he’s not going to sit, then it’s got to be obvious to the team by now: they need to turn this into a split backfield. You’ve got to play the hot hand, right?
The concern with Jeanty is absolutely real, and if these struggles keep on coming, which they very well might with the Los Angeles Rams next up on their schedule, then the Raiders are going to have to make a tough call. It might be time for a serious change in that backfield, and fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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