Ashton Jeanty’s grip on the Raiders’ backfield looks a little less secure heading into Week 7.
Through six games, Jeanty has not given Las Vegas much reason to keep feeding him the same volume, and his usage took another hit in Week 6. He finished with 10 carries for 22 yards, but only two of his touches came after halftime, while Mike Washington Jr. handled six.
That split has opened the door to a possible change this week against the Rams. According to Sports Illustrated, if Jeanty starts slowly again, Washington is positioned to see more work.
“I think the question has to be asked not about more reps for Mike Washington. I think he’s earning them and on a system that’s based on earning, you go with the hot hand,” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
“If Ashton doesn’t come out on fire, I will be stunned if Mike doesn’t get more reps. We’ll leave it there.”
That last line suggests there’s more going on behind the scenes than has been made public. Whether the Raiders have already talked about dialing back Jeanty’s role or not, it sounds like those conversations are at least overdue.
There’s also a practical reason for Las Vegas to consider the move. Giving Jeanty a lighter load for a week could help his foot and ankle get back to full strength, and Washington has been the more productive runner so far this season.
Even in Week 1, Jeanty’s best outing of the year, Washington was the more efficient back. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry to Jeanty’s 4.4.
Fantasy football managers have been put on alert as well. After the Week 6 dip in usage, Jeanty’s role appears to be moving the wrong way unless he can suddenly deliver the kind of performance he hasn’t shown since Week 1.
There’s another wrinkle worth remembering: John Spytek said Klint Kubiak was pounding the table for Washington in the draft. In other words, Kubiak has been a believer in Washington from the start.
And Kubiak was not the coach who drafted Jeanty in 2025. That was Pete Carroll.
So as the Raiders search for something to jump-start the ground game, the backfield could be in line for a noticeable reset.
In Other News...
Raiders Fans Should Be Careful With The Ashton Jeanty Comparison
Ashton Jeantys early Raiders production has invited an ugly comparison, mostly because the surface numbers look familiar to anyone who remembers Trent Richardsons rapid NFL fade. The caution here is that context matters. Richardson entered the league with a different kind of pre-draft hype and landed behind a stronger blocking environment, while Jeanty has had to navigate a Raiders offense that has not given him much room to work with.
Still, the concerns around Jeanty are real enough to keep the conversation going. His low yards per carry and frequent negative or no-gain runs have been a problem, and the Raiders have not made life easier with poor run blocking, while an ankle issue only adds another layer to the evaluation. The larger point is not that everything is fine, only that it is too early to stamp him with Richardsons fate when the situations around the two backs have not been remotely the same. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Offensive Line Trouble Has Put Spytek Under Early Pressure
With the Raiders trying to steady an offensive line that has already become a concern, the front office made another round of roster adjustments this week. Las Vegas brought in offensive tackles Amari Kight and Darian Kinnard on the practice squad as part of a push to add more protection depth before facing the Los Angeles Rams.
At the same time, the Raiders cleared room by moving on from tight end Chris Myarick and offensive lineman Evan Neal. It is an early sign that general manager John Spytek is willing to keep working the roster aggressively, and the bigger question is how much improvement he can engineer in time to help a unit that needs it quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Backfield Suddenly Has A Workload Question Fans Should Watch
The Raiders left Buffalo with a few encouraging signs in the backfield, even if the loss itself still lingered. Rookie Mike Washington Jr. gave the offense a lift with his running, and head coach Klint Kubiak came away pleased enough to point to better production and effort from the group overall.
Kubiaks comments also suggest this is not turning into a one-back operation just yet. Ashton Jeanty and Dylan Laube remain part of the mix, and the workload split in the weeks ahead should be worth watching as Las Vegas tries to find a steadier rhythm on the ground. [Read more 🡒]