The Raiders may have to head into Sunday’s game against the Patriots without one of the biggest reasons their season has started so well.
Ashton Jeanty was added to the injury report on Thursday after being a full participant on Wednesday, a development that immediately raises questions about his availability in Foxborough. He is dealing with an ankle and foot injury, with the ankle issue dating back to training camp in August. The foot problem is new, and the final injury report on Friday will say more about where things stand.
That is the last thing Las Vegas wants to hear after opening the year 3-1 under first-year head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders won their first three games before dropping a narrow one to the Chiefs in Week 4, and they now need a bounce-back performance on the road.
Jeanty has been central to that start. Through four games, he has 264 rushing yards, 169 receiving yards, and two total touchdowns, and Kubiak’s plan to make him the focal point of the offense has clearly taken hold.
If Jeanty can’t go, the Raiders have a built-in next-man-up option in rookie Mike Washington Jr. The fourth-round pick from Arkansas has already piled up 120 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, good for 5.0 yards per attempt. He also flashed in Week 3 against the Saints, when he ran for 54 yards and a touchdown.
That sets up an interesting test against a Patriots defense that has been strong, but not untouchable against the run. If Jeanty is sidelined, Washington should have a real chance to handle a heavier workload and could be in line for a breakout opportunity.
In Other News...
Raiders Suddenly Have A Receiver Problem Kubiak Can't Ignore
The Raiders are suddenly staring at a thinner receiver room than they expected, and the timing could hardly be worse. Jalen Nailor is in concussion protocol after a helmet-to-helmet hit, while Jack Bech is already on injured reserve with a broken forearm, leaving head coach Klint Kubiak with an obvious depth issue to manage as the season moves forward.
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
Ashton Jeantys second NFL season has brought a noticeably different job description in Las Vegas, and it has given the Raiders another layer on offense under Klint Kubiak. More often than not, Jeanty is showing up as a pass-catching threat instead of simply the back finishing runs, and that change has made him a more central piece of how the Raiders are moving the ball while they sit at 3-1.
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 🡒]
Raiders Week 5 Outlook Just Got Trickier After Patriots Injury News
Rhamondre Stevensons first touchdown of the season in Week 4 gave New England a little more balance on offense, and now the Patriots enter Week 5 with a different kind of uncertainty. Stevenson is listed as questionable because of a minor knee injury, even as he remains their top runner in several categories despite a career-low average yards per carry, and his status adds another layer to a game already shaped by injuries on both sides.
For the Raiders, the concern is just as real. Las Vegas is heading into a matchup that already features the Patriots without key wide receiver A.J. Brown and starting cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and Christian Gonzalez, while the Raiders themselves may be thin at running back if Ashton Jeanty cannot go. With both backfields and both game plans in flux, this one suddenly feels a lot more complicated than it did a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]