3 Key Fantasy Stats from Raiders Loss to Chargers

The Las Vegas Raiders had a very telling fantasy football performance in their Week 2 loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Sep 15, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) evades a tackle from Los Angeles Chargers safety Alohi Gilman (32) during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

It's safe to say that the Las Vegas Raiders had a pitiful offensive showing in Week 2 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. They didn't find the end zone even once, falling 20-9 in their second game under new head coach Pete Carroll.

The defense actually had an encouraging performance. They gave up a few big plays to Justin Herbert and the Chargers' passing game, but forced a crucial turnover on downs, a punt, and a fumble in their final three possessions of the night to give Las Vegas' offense a chance to get back into the game.

Unfortunately, Geno Smith and Company weren't up to the task. The ground game was completely shut off by the Chargers' dominance in the trenches, Smith was constantly pressured and rattled, and the deep ball was wayward all night for the Raiders' quarterback and his wide receivers.

Raiders' offense could be in trouble

Sep 15, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Cam Hart (20), Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley (0) and Los Angeles Chargers safety Alohi Gilman (32) during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

1. 13 pressures allowed

Geno Smith was pressured 13 times by the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Pro Football Focus. That might not seem like much when the Las Vegas Raiders quarterback dropped back 46 times, but it clearly affected his rhythm and disrupted the passing game all night.

Even when they didn't have a straight line to Smith that would count as a quantifiable pressure, the Chargers' supersized defensive line was consistently able to shrink the pocket and force the Raiders' gunslinger to evade or try to squeeze in a poor throw. This could be a recurring issue for Las Vegas. Jackson Powers-Johnson's return should help, but Smith and the Raiders' pass-catchers' fantasy prospects could be heavily dependent on matchups moving forward.

Sep 15, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) drops back to pass during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

2. Six deep (20+ yard) passing attempts

Despite the constant pressure in his face, Geno Smith still wasn't shy about launching bombs downfield against the Chargers. His six deep attempts doubled Justin Herbert's three. The problem was that none of them connected. Literally. Las Vegas had zero receptions and zero yards on those attempts from Smith.

The offensive line will face several tough matchups throughout the remainder of the season, but it's unlikely that they'll miss on all of their deep shots again. This bodes well for Smith's fantasy ceiling and gives speedsters Tre Tucker and Dont'e Thornton Jr. some streaming viability.

Ashton Jeanty's statline will look mundane (30 carries, 81 yards) but he was so impressive at getting the most out of every run and creating pic.twitter.com/M9Eru6YShW

— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) September 16, 2025

3. -0.4 rushing yards before contact

Ashton Jeanty had another slow fantasy day, garnering just 11 carries for 43 yards along with three catches for one additional yard. But his owners should only be encouraged by his performance. The Raiders averaged -0.4 yards before contact on their rushes on the day, indicating that their ball-carriers were getting stuffed behind the line of scrimmage on nearly every handoff.

Despite that, Jeanty still gained nearly four yards per carry. He had a handful of plays that really showcased his evasiveness and explosiveness. It won't be long until he breaks a big one and becomes a regular top fantasy back this season.

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