Raiders Reveal Clear Stance on Ashton Jeanty Amid Struggles

Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said Wednesday he still views running back Ashton Jeanty as a potential bell-cow back despite limited rushing work in the team’s Week 8 win over the New York Jets.

The Raiders scored 38 points in a 38-33 victory at MetLife Stadium to improve to 4-4 after a four-game skid. Jeanty carried the ball just twice for 9 yards in that game while catching three passes for 63 yards.

Jeanty has 108 carries for 337 yards and one touchdown this season, averaging 3.1 yards per attempt through eight games. He has also caught 37 passes for 376 yards and three scores, ranking among the league leaders in receptions and receiving yards among running backs.

Rookie Mike Washington Jr. handled the bulk of the ground work against the Jets with 25 carries for 83 yards. Washington has 65 carries for 278 yards and one touchdown on the year, averaging 4.3 yards per attempt.

“Absolutely, yeah,” Kubiak said. “Ashton’s a young player and has a really bright future ahead, and so glad that we have him. So glad we have him and all the young players on the roster. We’re continuing to grow and it’s our job as coaches to develop them.”

The Raiders selected Jeanty with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Boise State, where he set multiple school and conference marks as a junior. Washington was a fourth-round selection in this year’s draft.

Kubiak said competition between the two backs is beneficial for the offense.

“It’s always the best motivator,” Kubiak said of competition in the running back room. “Coaching takes you so far, but when you are competing for reps, it adds a new gear to your giddy up in practice.”

He indicated the division of carries will not be fixed from one week to the next.

“I do, I do. Yeah,” Kubiak said when asked if the split would be handled on a week-to-week basis.

Jeanty remains the primary option in the passing game out of the backfield. Washington has three receptions for 11 yards on the season.

The Raiders opened the year with three consecutive wins before dropping four straight. The win over the Jets snapped that streak and moved them to .500 entering Sunday’s game at the San Francisco 49ers.

Jeanty’s rushing production has declined in recent weeks after he carried 23 times for 102 yards in the Week 1 win over Miami. His yards-per-carry average sits well below Washington’s through eight games.

Kubiak has emphasized player development with a young roster that includes both backs. The Raiders face the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Week 9.

Washington’s larger share of carries against the Jets represented a shift in the backfield usage. Both players are expected to contribute moving forward as the Raiders try to build on the Week 8 result.

The Raiders’ ground game has been a point of emphasis under Kubiak, who is in his first season as head coach. Jeanty’s combination of rushing and receiving production gives the offense flexibility even as the carry distribution fluctuates.