The Raiders drafted Ashton Jeanty sixth overall in 2025 because they believed he could transform their running game. Twenty-five games later, they're giving the ball to a fourth-round rookie instead. Jeanty had just two carries for nine yards in the Week 8 win over the Jets.
Mike Washington Jr., the Raiders' fourth-round pick this past April, had 25 carries for 83 yards. Jeanty's workload has declined or remained unchanged every week this season, from 23 carries in Week 1 to two against New York last Sunday. And according to ESPN's Dan Graziano, the Raiders initially believed Jeanty's preseason ankle injury contributed to his struggles.
But he's been healthy enough to practice and play, and the team wants to see more. Las Vegas hopes the reduced workload serves as a wake-up call and is prepared to keep giving Washington more carries if Jeanty doesn't respond. Perhaps just as telling: First-year coach Klint Kubiak wasn't there when the Raiders drafted Jeanty, and he clearly doesn't feel an obligation to play him.
Meanwhile, in Arizona, Jeremiyah Love's rookie season has gone from disappointing to downright frustrating. The Cardinals selected him third overall in April, making him the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 in 2018. Love has 268 rushing yards and one touchdown in six games, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry.
And now he's headed to injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, his second ankle injury of the season. To be clear, this isn't about labeling anyone with the "B" word just yet. Jeanty has dealt with injuries and an offensive line that has been, to put it kindly, inconsistent.
He's also been productive as a receiver (though that's not why you draft a running back sixth overall). Love, meanwhile, hasn't been healthy enough to weigh in on much of anything beyond this one question we keep coming back to: How exceptional does a running back need to be to justify a premium draft pick, and how often do teams actually get it right? Because it's not just about whether the running back can play.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
