Rich Eisen: Raiders Need To Unleash Rookie RB Ashton Jeanty

The Las Vegas Raiders drafted running back Ashton Jeanty sixth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft to improve their league-worst rushing attack from a season ago. Unfortunately, the returns so far haven’t been great, as the rookie has just 144 yards in three weeks, averaging 3.1 yards per carry. The Raiders rank 30th in rushing yards.

The Raiders also aren’t attempting many runs, ranking 22nd in rushing attempts, but ninth in passing attempts and sixth in passing yards, despite some struggles from Geno Smith in taking care of the ball. It also doesn’t help that other rookies like Omarion Hampton of the Los Angeles Chargers and Cam Skattebo of the New York Giants are having breakout performances in Week 3.

And in a recent episode of The Rich Eisen Show, the longtime host called for the Raiders to take the training wheels off and unleash Jeanty if for nothing else than to take some pressure off Smith when he drops back to pass:

“You’re seeing what Omarion Hampton just did in Los Angeles. Where it’s like, ‘Hey, with Najee Harris out we can’t just sit here and make sure that we’re not running the wheels off this guy, we gotta ease him in. Screw it. Here’s Omarion Hampton. Oh here’s 229 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown. Oh by the way, with an offensive line that’s banged up. Cam Skattebo in New York/New Jersey[…] And Ashton Jeanty, we’re waiting. We’re waiting. And again, this is potentially fantasy related because he did have 60+ rush yards and he had a couple nice runs. But when Geno Smith can’t throw it cause the minute he fades back to pass, there’s somebody in his lap, you need somebody to run it to take that pressure off.”

Being committed to and establishing the run game would undoubtedly help the offense as a whole. The weapons in the pass game are there with Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, who is coming off a breakout performance in Week 3. But with an extremely important Week 4 contest against the Chicago Bears, Eisen feels this is an ideal week for Jeanty to have his best week to date:

“And they’ve got a big one coming up against the Chicago Bears. Both teams 1-2, both teams needing it and this would be a good time for Jeanty to uncork a Skattebo or a Hampton-type performance from rookie running backs, just to throw those names. And again, it’s unfair that we’re throwing it anywhere near in the direction of just one guy. It is a team game, Pete will tell you that. But like a 25-touch time for this kid cause it would be helpful. It would be massively helpful.”

The Raiders, wanting to be cautious and not overwork Jeanty, make a ton of sense. However, the franchise drafted him to give their run game a boost, and they have to at least allow him to do so and give him the touches to be a difference-maker in this offense.

James Harrison calls for Raiders to give Ashton Jeanty more touches

Rich Eisen isn’t the first person to make this observation, as before the Raiders’ Week 3 loss in Washington, NFL legend James Harrison called for the Raiders to give Ashton Jeanty more touches as well.