Raiders Running Backs: Pre-Training Camp Position Preview

HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders are just 18 days away from the opening of their 2026 NFL training camp, and the expectations, anticipation, and excitement are tangible.

As we do each July, heading into camp, we begin a series breaking down each position group, offering analysis of each player on the position, providing various scouting reports, and even projecting whether they make the coveted 53-man roster, practice squad, or get cut.

Las Vegas Raiders RB Aston Jeanty | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

GM John Spytek will have to deliver the final 53-man roster to the NFL offices on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. PT). This is a significant change from previous years, when cuts were due on the Tuesday following the final preseason games.

As we preview each position, we will place next to each position group how many players we project the Raiders to carry at that spot.

Today, we begin with the running back position.

John Spytek — Raiders | Darrell Craig Harris, ON SI

Running Back: Five

When Spytek releases the final 53-man roster, I expect the Raiders to have carried 25 offensive players, and while I could see that vacillating between 24 and 26, today I think five of those players will be running backs.

No. 1: Ashton Jeanty, 5’8” 208 lbs.

Las Vegas Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The Raiders selected the Boise State Broncos superstar with the sixth overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was the primary back last year. Despite all the dysfunction in the organizational collapse last season, he was able to flash.

Under the steady direction of Klint Kubiak and an offensive line led by Rick Dennison, Jeanty is poised to have a major breakout campaign. His rookie year, judged in the context of the organization's utter collapse, is not on him, and a fair observer would have to categorize his season as a success.

No. 2: Mike Washington Jr., 6’2” 228 lbs.

The Raiders didn’t like Washington in the past draft; they loved him. He is fast and strong. He is considered a pass protector more than a downfield threat in the passing game, but that doesn’t preclude him from catching short passes out of the backfield. He is a punishing, physical power back, according to one Raider official: “Offers linear momentum instead of lateral agility. He is much more comfortable running over you than around you.”

He is an elite power back: once he gets to the second level, which can happen fast as a north-south runner, he can turn on the jets of a 4.3 forty and take it to the house every play. He is the perfect complementary back to Ashton Jeanty.

Mike Washington Jr. | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

No. 3 Connor Heyward (FB/HB), 5’11” 230 lbs.

I have had the privilege of knowing Heyward and his family since 2016, and can tell you that he is as versatile as today’s modern NFL players come. It is that versatility that made him a top free agent priority for John Spytek and Klint Kubiak.

He is not only the fullback Klint Kubiak’s offense craves, but he can also play tight end, offering the Raiders, should they choose to exercise it, the chance to keep only three tight ends, as he would fill the fourth spot.

He has amazingly soft hands, is incredibly durable, and is afraid of nothing. His toughness is evident on tape, as he will enter any pile or take on any defensive player to move them for his running backs.

The son of the legendary All-Pro NFL RB Craig “Ironhead” Heyward is All-Pro Pittsburgh Steelers DL Cam Heyward. He doesn’t run a 4.3, and the route tree he has isn't the biggest, but he offers what Kubiak craves. He does his job on offense and on every special teams unit exactly as drawn up, is always available, and never repeats mistakes.

No. 4: Dylan Laube, 5’9” 204 lbs.

Laube shocked the world when the 2024 NFL Draft pick (sixth round, 208th overall) made the roster as a rookie. Last year, the odds were against him when I asked a coach about him in the offseason; the coach asked me, “Who?” He still made the team and now has a coaching staff that loves him. He is little, but he is tough as nails, and the young man will do the nasty little things that single him out as a blue-collar attack dog, more than a prima donna.

While hailing from the wealthy Hamptons of New York, you would never know it. He is a testament to his parents with a work ethic like a construction worker and a brain that processes information quickly. His attitude is outstanding, and while he isn’t going to move Jeanty or Washington out of the way, the Raiders don’t need him to. He plays his role incredibly well in the Kubiak system, and I think this will be his best year yet in the NFL.

No. 5: Roman Hemby, 6’0" 210 lbs.

This rookie was signed as one of a few hidden gem UDFA prospects out of Indiana, where he played with Mendoza, but that connection to the Raiders' long-term franchise QB is not the only reason he is here. He makes plays.

He is a physical downhill back who is very durable. His leg drive is impressive, and he tallied only two fumbles while carrying it over 700 times. He has not been used much in the passing game, but he has only three drops. He doesn’t have Washington's speed, but he is a hybrid of Jeanty and Washington, though he doesn't possess all of their top-end skill sets.

Roman Hemby participates in Indiana University's Pro Day at Mellencamp Pavilion on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Another young man with a great work ethic and character, he has to make Spytek and Kubiak’s job miserable and force them to keep him as the fifth guy. He needs a very strong camp to do that, but don’t bet against him.

Roman Hemby | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

No. 6: Chris Collier, 5’10" 203 lbs.

Collier is a young man from a small school who is impossible not to root for as a human being. Warm and engaging, he has a unique skill set that has yet to blossom or flash. He is a developmental player who is very raw, but he has skills that could parlay into the NFL. How much time do players like Collier get as a project? His path to the 53-man roster is as a special teams returner. Players on a franchise rebuilding team looking to retain every young player they can from the last two draft classes; his path will likely go through the practice squad.

Our Podcast on the Raiders Offense

Add us as a preferred source on Google