Report: Jeanty hurt, could not put pressure on leg

Washington looked good once again this week. His best play was an explosive gain on the Raiders’ first drive. Washington ran into the back of the line briefly but bounced off contact and took off downfield for a 33-yard gain. He was tackled by his shoestrings on the Texans’ 25-yard line. Unfortunately, the next play wasn’t great. Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza decided to check down to Washington on a play-action dropback, but the pass was intercepted and returned for an 80-yard touchdown. Texans LB Wade Woodaz made a great play on the ball. Washington possibly could have done a better job of maintaining spatial awareness and boxing Woodaz out, but the result of the play does not fall entirely on Washington’s shoulders. The rookie running back could offer standalone FLEX value this season. At worst, he is a high-upside stash.

The rookie fourth-rounder wound up leading the Raiders in both rush attempts and rushing yards on Thursday, with his most notable run coming on a 53-yard burst that saw him evade multiple defenders on the play. Washington is competing for the Raiders’ RB2 spot behind Ashton Jeanty and should have the inside edge over third-year back Dylan Laube, who totaled 11 yards on five carries in Thursday’s loss.

It makes some sense given how the offseason played out, as the Raiders never really settled on a potential third-down back until they signed Dare Ogunbowale once training camp started. Jeanty playing all three downs would be a major feather in his cap from a fantasy perspective should it come to pass. Jeanty caught 55 passes for 346 yards and five scores in 2026, but given the quality of receiver talent on this roster, he could do better in his second season.

Per Breer, Jeanty “is showing explosion and violence running without pads on.” Assuming those traits carry over to padded practices and the regular season, coach Klint Kubiak “will have a pretty valuable centerpiece for the run game that serves as the foundation for his scheme.” It’s been months since we heard talk of a split backfield. The idea is seemingly a thing of the past after May and June reports indicated Jeanty could serve as a featured three-down player. Treat him as a locked-in RB1 with upside.

McFadden believes that Washington will see “meaningful snaps,” and while the Raiders could still add a back to the roster to help on third downs, Washington looks to be their clear backup at this point. Given how Klint Kubiak split reps at the running back position last year in Seattle, there’s at least a chance that Washington could be a name of fantasy interest this year. Getting any amount of first-team reps as a rookie is a good sign.

This is the second report in as many weeks, published on the team website, where Jeanty says he does not want to come off the field in 2026 and a Raiders coach backs him up. Per Young, Jeanty is currently refining his pass protection, receiving skills and ability “to make the simple plays in the run game.” It remains to be seen whether Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak will move on from the two-player backfield rotation that has served him well in the past. Thus far, though, Jeanty’s odds of securing a true bellcow role seem to be ever so slightly ticking upward.

Nothing is set in stone, but this quote is worth paying close attention to. Kubiak employed a steady two-running back rotation in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run last year. Is it possible he would adjust his philosophy if the backfield’s talent requires him to do so? With a “slight” smile, Kubiak said that the team wants “to put a lot of pressure” on RB1 Ashton Jeanty, before noting that 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey’s “play-snap percentage is high. So, those great backs, they don’t want to come off the field.” Jeanty echoed the sentiment, saying, “if I don’t have to, I don’t want to come off the field.” Now, if rookie RB Mike Washington Jr. takes spring and summer practices by storm, Kubiak will probably rotate him in regularly. However, it seems as though Kubiak is at least open to the idea of featuring Jeanty as a full-time player.

It should be mentioned that the Raiders are one of the teams that have kept tabs on Najee Harris this offseason — it’s possible that they bring in a veteran back to compete with Washington ahead of the season. But it’s hard to not draw the conclusion that McFadden does from the current depth chart. It’s not like Dylan Laube has done anything at the NFL level either.

Washington (6’1/223) turned heads by running a 4.33 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. As a rookie, he is set to compete for the Raiders’ No. 2 role behind starting RB Ashton Jeanty. If he wins it, Washington would be a worthwhile bench stash in re-draft leagues, in case Jeanty misses time. Per Spotrac, Washington’s $5.36 million deal includes $1.1 million in guarantees.

The Raiders traded No. 134 and No. 208 for No. 122. Following a redshirt season, Washington (6’1/223) got the ball rolling at Buffalo in 2022 with a 150-625-7 rushing line, leading the Bulls in all three of those stats. After falling under 100 carries in his next campaign, Washington transferred to New Mexico State, where he ran for 725 yards and eight scores on 157 attempts. One final transfer put him at the top of Arkansas’s backfield. He finally posted a true breakout season, running for 1,070 yards and eight scores on 167 totes. Washington also took a notable step forward as a receiver, compiling 228 yards and one score on 28 grabs. With 17 carries for 15+ yards, Washington’s speed was apparent on tape, but no one was prepared for his NFL Combine performance. Washington blazed a 4.33 40 with a 39” vertical and a 10”8 broad jump. At his size, the Isaac Guerendo comparison made itself. Washington’s Arkansas breakout puts him in a class above Guerendo as a prospect, but it’s also fair to say Washington has yet to live up to the potential of his absurd athleticism. He will need to hone his footwork and vision in the pros to make that happen. Washington will get a chance to backup the Raiders’ 2025 rookie running back, Ashton Jeanty.