The Las Vegas Raiders are heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Rams carrying more than just the usual game-day buzz.
At 3-3 and set to host the Rams, 2-4, at Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders have plenty of attention on what the offense might look like - and that conversation took a turn late Thursday when rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. landed on the injury report as not participating.
That mattered because Washington Jr. has become one of the most intriguing pieces of the Raiders’ 2026 Silver and Black rookie class. Fans have been pushing for more touches as his role has grown, and earlier this week, Kubiak acknowledged that the rookie had done enough to earn more work.
“He's putting the work in, and you see the practice come to life in the game. ”
Washington Jr. had been limited on Wednesday with a foot/back injury before missing Thursday altogether, which makes his status worth watching closely heading into the weekend. Nothing is official yet, but his absence from practice late in the week puts his availability in real doubt.
That’s a tough development for a team trying to get its ground game on track. Washington Jr. has been the backup behind Ashton Jeanty since the start, but he’s steadily grown into a more trusted option.
Kirk Cousins pointed to the rookie’s explosiveness when asked Wednesday about his progress.
“When you see the 30-plus-yard run for a touchdown against the Saints, you see the ability to break away. In practice, it’s hard because you’re not being brought to the ground often.
So, until you get to the real thing, it’s difficult to evaluate. I think he’s run hard, and he’s continuing to get comfortable in the offense.
I think every week as a rookie, no matter what position you're playing, you’re gaining confidence and earning trust. It’s a building process, and coming up on Week 7, the sample size is getting large enough to build that up.”
Andrew Janocko said the rookie’s rise has been built the right way, one layer at a time.
“I think it’s just started by proving it in the practice field, taking it from the meeting rooms to the practice field, taking it from the practice field, and then doing specific things well in a game. When you do that, that’s how a young player earns more reps. He takes it step by step and then applies it onto the field.”
More should become clear late Friday morning, when Kubiak speaks and gives a further update. If Washington Jr. can’t suit up, Dylan Laube could see more carries, and UDFA RB Roman Hemby may get called up from the practice squad for his first regular-season action of the season.
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