3 Key Fantasy Stats from Raiders vs. Patriots

Still, they hadn't proven anything yet before their debut. But they worked quickly to justify the positivity surrounding their season, getting a key opening win against another rising team in the New England Patriots, 20-13. The offense wasn't perfect, but it did showcase the potential for some high-quality fantasy productivity from the Raiders moving forward.

Raiders offense has explosive potential

1. Geno Smith's 10 explosive passing plays

Pro Football Focus defines explosive passing plays as throws that travel 15 yards or more through the air. Quarterback Geno Smith made 10 of these attempts in the Las Vegas Raiders' season opener against the New England Patriots, six of which went for 20 or more yards. He hit on four of those really deep tries and tallied 285 yards on explosive throws.

Going from Gardner Minshew II to Geno Smith promised to be a significant upgrade for Las Vegas at quarterback. In Week 1, against a stingy Patriots defense, Smith showed that he could make an even more dramatic difference than anyone anticipated. He should connect on plenty of bombs to Tre Tucker, Dont'e Thornton Jr., and the rest of the Raiders' receivers throughout the 2025 season.

2. Ashton Jeanty's 44 yards after contact

Ashton Jeanty had a bit of an underwhelming debut compared to his expectations coming out of Boise State. The sixth-overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft finished his first professional game with 19 carries for just 38 yards and one touchdown.

However, two stats stand out that do offer a lot of promise for his fantasy potential moving forward. One, the Raiders trusted him with 19 attempts in his very first outing against a stout defensive line. Two, he had 44 yards after contact. That's not a typo. If he can find any lanes at all throughout the rest of the season, Jeanty should be able to rack up plenty of yards in his rookie year.

3. Eight unblocked QB pressures allowed

That last stat is both a testament to Ashton Jeanty's greatness, as well as an indictment of the Raiders' shaky offensive line. Las Vegas was expected to field better protection for Geno Smith than he had in his last season with the Seattle Seahawks, and they did that in Week 1, but just barely.

Ultimately, the Patriots came out with four sacks against Smith for 29 yards, but it could have been a lot more if it were not for the QB's escapability and quick wit. New England's D-line is one of the best units that Las Vegas will face this season, but the Raiders' offensive line is not off to a great start.

Advanced stats via Pro Football Focus