The Las Vegas Raiders and their second-year running back Ashton Jeanty got hit with some serious dread on Sunday, August 23rd, when news dropped that he’d suffered a lower-body injury during practice. It sent a legit wave of panic through the whole fandom, especially for a guy expected to be a huge piece of rookie head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense this year. But just two days later, NFL insider Ian Rapoport dropped some seriously hopeful news: Jeanty’s ankle sprain is “believed to be more low than high,” and it’s not considered a “major injury” at all. Talk about dodging a bullet!
The Initial Gut Punch
Sunday’s practice was a nightmare scenario. Jeanty landed awkwardly, couldn’t put weight on his right leg, and trainers had to help him off the field. The scene was intense: the “entire team took a knee and said a prayer” as he departed early. You can imagine the dread in the air, right? A star second-year back, drafted No. 6 overall in 2025 after a monster collegiate season with 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, a Heisman runner-up even, going down like that. It felt like the season could be derailed before it even started. Modern-day poet Drake said a sprained ankle “ain’t nothing to play with,” and everyone in Vegas definitely took that to heart.
A Collective Sigh of Relief
Thankfully, the worst seems to be behind them. Rapoport’s update on Tuesday, August 25th, was a massive relief. The “low vs. high” distinction for an ankle sprain is critical, often indicating a quicker recovery. While there’s still a “chance” Jeanty might miss Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, the Raiders are “hopeful” he’ll be good to go. This isn’t seen as a long-term issue, which is exactly what you want to hear for a player with his history. Remember, this guy played all 17 games in his rookie year and only missed two games in college back in 2023. He’s a gamer, and his body has generally held up.
The Raiders host the Dolphins on September 13th for their Week 1 opener. That gives Jeanty just over three weeks from the injury date to get healthy. Given his history of quickly getting back on the field, and the relatively minor nature of this sprain, there’s every reason to believe he’ll be out there ready to rumble. The team, and the fans, are definitely holding their breath, but it sounds like Ashton Jeanty will be making his presence felt sooner rather than later this season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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