Ashton Jeanty’s status for Sunday is suddenly up in the air, and that could open the door for Mike Washington Jr. to see a much bigger role when the Raiders visit the Patriots.
Jeanty was listed as limited at Thursday’s practice, then sat out Friday with a foot injury. After practice, the Raiders tagged him as questionable for the game in New England.
The rookie back has been dealing with a string of issues for a while now. He’s spent about six weeks working through a right ankle injury from August, and then on Sunday a Chiefs defender landed on his left ankle in what could have been ruled a hip drop tackle. Those leg problems have clearly taken a toll, and he hasn’t looked nearly as explosive since the first three quarters against the Dolphins in Week 1.
That makes Sunday a potential showcase for Washington. The rookie has flashed enough in the first four weeks to build some buzz in preseason, and now the Raiders may need him to handle a heavier load. Through 24 carries, Washington is averaging 5.0 yards per carry, and this game should tell a lot about how he responds when the touches climb.
The matchup is workable. New England’s run defense sits 14th in the NFL, but the Patriots are still allowing 4.4 yards per carry.
The Patriots are dealing with their own injury list, too. On Friday morning, they ruled out CB Carlton Davis, WR Mack Hollins, FB Reggie Gilliam and, most notably, CB Christian Gonzalez.
Gonzalez is widely considered the top cornerback in the league, and for the second straight year he’ll miss the Patriots’ game against the Raiders.
Rhamondre Stevenson remains New England’s leading rusher and has been managing a knee injury, but he told reporters on Friday he’ll be “ready to go” on Sunday.
In Other News...
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Jeanty was added to the injury report on Thursday, and the concern is not just one sore spot but a pair of them. With Mike Washington Jr. expected to absorb a bigger workload if Jeanty cant go, the Raiders suddenly have a backfield situation worth watching closely as the week moves on. [Read more 🡒]
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Kubiak said all options will be considered to bolster the group, which is exactly the kind of language that tends to set off the trade and signing chatter around this time of year. Jerry Jeudy, Tory Horton and K.J. Osborn have all surfaced as possible fits, and the Raiders now have to decide whether this is a short-term patch job or the start of a more significant reshaping of the passing-game depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Ashton Jeanty Is Changing A Key Part Of The Raiders Offense
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The fit has not been perfect, though, and both Jeanty and Kubiak have been open about where there is still room to grow. The rushing game has had its stretches of struggle, and Jeanty has pointed to pass protection and sharper reads as parts of his own game he wants to clean up as the Raiders try to build on an encouraging start. [Read more 🡒]