Ashton Jeanty

Ashton Jeanty

RB LV Bye 13 PPR #18

Ashton Jeanty

NFL player. Position: RB. Team: LV.

Quick Facts

  • Position: RB
  • Team: LV (Las Vegas Raiders)
  • Bye week (2026): 13
  • FantasyPros PPR rank (pulled 2026-05-21): 18

2026 Outlook

Jeanty is positioned for a significant leap in Year 2 after managing 975 rushing yards and 1,321 yards from scrimmage despite an injury-depleted Raiders offensive line. ESPN projects his stock will lift alongside Fernando Mendoza's development and Klint Kubiak's offensive system, which should provide the Raiders with much-needed efficiency gains (per 10 NFL draft prospects to put on your fantasy radar -- and three others to monitor).

The arrival of Tyler Linderbaum (highest-paid interior OL in league) and Kolton Miller's return from ankle injury should improve his yards-after-contact (he averaged just 1.6 YAC before contact as a rookie, third-lowest among backs with 100+ carries). New coach Klint Kubiak favors high-volume usage; Jeanty carried 266 times as a rookie (most among 2025 rookies) and is aiming to stay on field at a Christian McCaffrey-like snap share. Fourth-round pick Mike Washington Jr. may reduce load slightly, but Kubiak expects Jeanty to be the lead back (per A new Raiders offensive line and the same heavy workload: Ashton Jeanty's Year 2 test).

The entire Raiders offseason has been built around maximizing Jeanty's impact: Kirk Cousins' arrival elevates the passing game to take pressure off the rushing attack, Linderbaum's signing directly supports zone-run execution, and complementary pieces like Jalen Nailor and Mike Washington Jr. create the supporting cast Jeanty lacked as a rookie. Kubiak explicitly stated the roster moves are "needed, but many of them were added with the notion in mind of playing off of Jeanty, directly or indirectly," with the coaching staff believing that investing more in an already-invested draft pick is the key to unlocking his 2026 potential (per 1 Thing Raiders Are Banking on in 2026).

Consensus among fantasy analysts: Jeanty's 2026 projection leans toward top-5 finish with upgraded situation. Multiple experts cite three structural reasons for optimism: (1) elite offensive line upgrade (Linderbaum's $81M signing plus Miller's return), (2) Kubiak's proven system (Seattle ranked 5th in scoring, featured heavy-personnel packages), and (3) improved QB play with Fernando Mendoza eventually taking over from Kirk Cousins (per 3 Reasons Raiders' Jeanty Set Up for Success in 2026, 4 Must-Have Running Backs (2026 Fantasy Football)).

Kubiak's explicit commitment to McCaffrey-model usage—high snap share, bell-cow touches—suggests 266+ carries again in 2026, with primary competition being Mike Washington Jr. (likely change-of-pace back). Fantasy rankers now slot Jeanty RB18 (FantasyPros consensus) with ceiling potentially reaching top-10 if O-line improvements materialize immediately (per Fantasy Football Outlook: Bhayshul Tuten, Omarion Hampton, Ashton Jeanty, Fantasy Football: Now that the coaching carousel has stopped spinning, here's how Matt Harmon views each new play-caller).

Kubiak has explicitly stated he wants Jeanty to play the role McCaffrey does—at 83% snap share and 413 total touches—compared to Jeanty's 76.6% snap share and 321 touches as a rookie (per Klint Kubiak Wants Christian McCaffrey-Type Workload for Ashton Jeanty). Last year Jeanty ranked 7th in yards after contact despite being last in success rate—shows flashing ability held back by situation. With better O-line and coaching, reasonable to project first career 1,000-yard season (per Why Ashton Jeanty Is on the Verge of a Breakout Season in 2026 - Sports Illustrated). Kubiak's track record with heavy personnel and an emphasis on the ground game bodes particularly well for Jeanty's fantasy prospects (per Fantasy Impact of 2026 NFL Coaching Changes). O-line improvements: Tyler Linderbaum signed as highest-paid interior OL (3-year, $81M, $60M guaranteed), Kolton Miller returning from ankle injury. Kubiak emphasis on McCaffrey-like snap share aligns with Jeanty's preference to stay on field (per A new Raiders offensive line and the same heavy workload: Ashton Jeanty's Year 2 test).

Kubiak's wide-zone scheme (from Seattle) fundamentally changes how Jeanty operates: all five offensive linemen block in a singular direction to create stretch runs and multiple running lanes. The previous Chip Kelly scheme didn't work for Jeanty's style. With the new scheme + improved O-line, Jeanty should see immediate improvements in vision and hole quality, particularly on outside runs where his explosive-carry rate (4th among RBs in 40+ yard runs) can shine (per Ashton Jeanty Is Primed to Break Out for the Raiders in 2026).

At May OTAs, Kubiak reiterated his commitment to heavy utilization: "We want to put a lot of pressure on Ashton. 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." (per Raiders' Klint Kubiak warns running back Ashton Jeanty to brace for intense 2026 workload).

Kubiak drafted Mike Washington Jr. in round 4 as the perfect complement—an Arkansas RB comparable to Zach Charbonnet from Kubiak's Super Bowl Seahawks team. Similar to how Kenneth Walker III and Charbonnet operated (one patient, one aggressive), Jeanty and Washington Jr. offer stylistic contrast: Jeanty more patient, Washington Jr. gets to the hole. Washington Jr. (6-1, 220) is practically a Charbonnet clone in build and upright running style, suggesting Kubiak wants the same two-back rotation that worked in Seattle. Charbonnet improved every year under Kubiak; Washington Jr. may follow similar trajectory (per Klint Kubiak lands Zach Charbonnet clone with Arkansas RB Mike Washington Jr.)

New OL coach Rick Dennison (30+ years experience; coached RBs like Arian Foster, LeSean McCoy, Alvin Kamara, and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker) is a massive upgrade from Brennan Carroll. Raiders had the worst offensive line last year, struggling with blitzes and failing to open run-game gaps—Jeanty was hit behind the line on over 50% of his carries. Dennison led Seattle's rushing offense to 10th-best at 123.3 yards per game, where Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet combined for 1,700+ yards and 17 TDs. RB coach Omar Young (17 years experience, previously at University of Iowa) typically schemes wide-zone offense and emphasized dominating the run game. Young's Iowa team outrushed opponents in 10 of 13 games in 2025, averaging 176.9 yards per game. Kubiak is replicating Seattle's system that ranked 3rd in scoring (28.4 PPG), 8th in total offense (351.4 yards), and 10th in rushing (123.3 yards). (per The Raiders' Coaching Changes Will Propel Ashton Jeanty) Bonsignore projects Jeanty should see 75-80% of offensive snaps, consistent with his 78% rookie workload; the emphasis is improving productivity rather than expanding carries (per Bonsignore Projects What Should Be Ashton Jeanty's Time Share in 2026).

Per ESPN's sophomore analysis, Jeanty's advanced metrics show readiness for a bigger year—his 2.40 yards after contact per carry ranked 8th among all backs in 2025, and his explosive run rate (9.0%) sits just below league average. CBS Sports' Garrett Podell names Jeanty among second-year players due for a breakout in 2026, citing Kubiak's Super Bowl pedigree, Mendoza's QB upgrade, and the new offensive line as catalysts for significant efficiency gains. (per Is Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty poised for breakout season in 2026?) However, ESPN cautions that while the offense and O-line will improve, a special season like recent early-drafted backs (Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs) may not materialize "just yet" due to lingering weaknesses in the offensive line and concerns about Kubiak's play-action philosophy potentially limiting run-game touches (per 2026 NFL offseason: Big questions about second-year players).

Role / Depth Chart

Starting RB for Las Vegas Raiders. High-volume back: 266 carries as rookie (most among 2025 rookies). Coach Kubiak prefers him on field at high snap share; backup Mike Washington Jr. (round 4 pick in 2026) will see some reps but Jeanty is the lead back. At May OTAs, Kubiak emphasized the McCaffrey model — getting Jeanty off field only when necessary (per A new Raiders offensive line and the same heavy workload: Ashton Jeanty's Year 2 test).

Injury Status

(filled in by ingest — current status, recovery timeline if applicable)

Recent News

  • 2026-05-11 — Fantasy football buzz: Which players benefit most from Njoku, Jennings signings? (Fantasy football buzz: Which players benefit most from Njoku, Jennings signings?)
  • 2026-05-28 — SI's 2026 Ranking of the NFL’s Coach-QB Duos (SI's 2026 Ranking of the NFL’s Coach-QB Duos)
  • 2026-05-14 — 49ers release full 2026 schedule. Here’s an instant analysis of each week’s game (49ers release full 2026 schedule. Here’s an instant analysis of each week’s game)
  • 2026-05-14 — Los Angeles Rams 2026 schedule: Tough opening stretch highlights primetime-heavy slate... (Los Angeles Rams 2026 schedule: Tough opening stretch highlights primetime-heavy slate...)
  • 2026-05-28 — 2026 NFL Preview: Which 10 Players Are Most Likely To Benefit From Coaching Change? (2026 NFL Preview: Which 10 Players Are Most Likely To Benefit From Coaching Change?)
  • 2026-05-17 — 2026 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Expert Picks & Takeaways (2026 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Expert Picks & Takeaways)
  • 2026-05-12 — Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings For 2026: Jahmyr Gibbs, James Cook and More (Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings For 2026: Jahmyr Gibbs, James Cook and More)
  • 2026-03-06 — Fantasy Football 2026 Top-50 Rankings: Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs at 1.01? (Fantasy Football 2026 Top-50 Rankings: Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs at 1.01?)
  • 2026-03-11 — A subplot of Broncos’ quiet free agency: Denver making big bet on internal development (A subplot of Broncos’ quiet free agency: Denver making big bet on internal development)
  • 2026-05-24 — Field Yates' fantasy football PPR rankings: Top 160 for 2026 (Field Yates' fantasy football PPR rankings: Top 160 for 2026)

Open Questions

(scoped to this player — pulled from Fantasy Football Open Questions)

Sources

(receipts — every claim above should link to a source here)