Ashton Jeanty's Preseason: Concern or Optimism Brewing

There's a lot of buzz surrounding Las Vegas Raiders' first-round pick Ashton Jeanty's rookie season, with a lot of analysts already making him the frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year. It's no surprise, given the Raiders are expected to run the ball a lot and give Jeanty plenty of reps.

Not only does Jeanty have the upside of getting the majority of their reps running the ball, but he's also going to catch a lot of balls for their offense. He was a machine pumping out yards in his time at Boise State, and it's expected that he'll do the same for the Raiders.

Before Raider Nation can watch in awe at Jeanty's magic every Sunday, we have his preseason film to analyze. Dalton Wasserman is a sports writer for Pro Football Focus, and he gave Jeanty a moderate grade, given his limited action in the preseason.

How Did He Perform?

Aug 16, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) walks off the field after the Raiders were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers 22-19 at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

"Jeanty played four snaps in the Raiders’ final preseason game. He handled two carries for a total of five yards. Jeanty took only 12 carries in game action this preseason but will surely be the workhorse in Las Vegas’ backfield in the regular season", said Wasserman.

Jeanty's entire preseason stats are 12 carries for 37 yards and a rushing touchdown. He averaged 3.1 yards per attempt in a preseason debut that was wholly uninspiring, but it'd be a reach to say that the Raiders should panic based on his performance.

This comprehensive view of his stats doesn't take into account the disaster that was his first preseason game, where he rushed for negative yardage on three carries. That was due to his offensive line not giving him a chance to let anything develop, and he was still able to make a man miss in the backfield when dealing with pressure.

Ashton Jeanty - every rush/target - preseason game two pic.twitter.com/NKpeFeeGbC
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) August 17, 2025

The bulk of his production came in week two against the San Francisco 49ers, where he also got his only rushing touchdown. He looked as advertised for the Raiders offense, shooting out of the backfield like a cannon and showing off his physicality by truck-sticking defenders.

His side-step already looks like it's going to pose problems for defenders, and if they can get him going in the pass game often, this offense will become a lot more dynamic. While it's easy to look at his preseason stats and worry about Jeanty, he and the Raiders are going to be just fine.

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