The Raiders keep stacking young talent, and the backfield is no exception. Ashton Jeanty may be the headline name, but Mike Washington Jr. is starting to look like the kind of reserve who can force his way into the conversation if the opportunities come.
Washington, a fourth-round pick this year, is lined up behind Jeanty in Las Vegas. If that sounds like a quiet role, the preseason numbers suggest otherwise. Through two exhibition games, he has 15 carries for 119 yards, and his best burst came on a 33-yard run against Arizona.
The production has already turned heads. Among all running backs this preseason, Washington ranks first in rushing grade at 90.3 and first in rushing yards after contact with 106.
His college résumé shows a back who kept building momentum. From 2021 through 2023, Washington posted 1,119 yards and 10 touchdowns.
After transferring to New Mexico St., he added 157 carries for 725 yards and eight touchdowns. In his final season, he went over 1,000 yards again, scored eight times, and set career highs with 28 catches for 226 yards.
That all points to a player who can handle more than just handoffs. Washington has the size at 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds to help in pass protection, and that versatility matters in a Raiders offense that may need him sooner rather than later.
Jeanty suffered a knee injury at Sunday’s practice, and if that keeps him sidelined for any stretch, Washington would be the next man up. Even if Jeanty is ready to go, Washington still has a path to touches. Jeanty isn’t going to play every snap, and if Washington proves he can protect the quarterback, he should earn carries too.
He may not be a familiar name in fantasy circles yet, but Mike Washington Jr. is the kind of backup who can sneak up on people.
In Other News...
Raiders Suddenly Face A Frightening Ashton Jeanty Camp Scare
Ashton Jeantys first Raiders training camp has taken a concerning turn after the rookie running back left practice early with what appeared to be a knee injury. The play came during a team period, when Jeanty stretched out to make a catch and landed awkwardly, a scene that immediately shifted the attention on a day that should have been about building toward the season.
For Las Vegas, the timing makes the situation feel especially uneasy, even with no official word yet on the exact nature or severity of the injury. Until the Raiders provide an update, all that is known is that Jeanty came off the field after the hit to his knee, leaving one of the teams biggest camp storylines suddenly on hold. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Roster Bubble Is Getting Tough To Ignore After McCollums Push
The Raiders brought in Tristin McCollum off waivers before the 2025 season to help shore up the back end of the secondary, and he has spent this preseason making the kind of quiet case that tends to matter in late August. He has handled multiple jobs on defense and special teams, and in the game against the Houston Texans he showed up all over the field while finishing with the team-high tackle total.
For a roster bubble that is already starting to get tight, that kind of versatility is hard to overlook. McCollum has not only given Las Vegas a useful depth option, he has also made it difficult to imagine the Raiders parting with him when they start trimming down to the 53-man roster again. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Camp Battle Could Decide Whether This Secondary Finally Improves
The Raiders spent the offseason trying to fix a pass defense that needed help, bringing back Eric Stokes and then adding four defensive backs in the 2026 NFL Draft. Now the focus has shifted to training camp, where the clearest battle is at cornerback and the winner could help determine whether the secondary finally takes a real step forward.
Darien Porter, entering his second season, is trying to hold off rookie Jermod McCoy for a starting spot next to Stokes. McCoy comes in with a little extra uncertainty after pre-draft knee injuries, so this competition is about more than just pedigree or draft status. For Las Vegas, it is also one of the most important jobs on the roster, because the answer there will go a long way toward showing whether the offseason changes were enough. [Read more 🡒]