These Raiders Need Standout Performances Against 49ers

The Las Vegas Raiders had a nice bounce-back win last week against the New York Jets. However, this week is a completely different animal, as the team travels to Santa Clara to take on the San Francisco 49ers.

Following a strong start to the season - winning the first three games - the Raiders lost four consecutive games, stirring the conversation around potentially trading veteran pieces and looking forward to the 2027 season. Last week's win changed the narrative and validated the front office's decision to stand pat with the current roster. With that in mind, here are several Raiders who need a strong outing against the 49ers on Sunday.

Ashton Jeanty

The second-year running back has been disappointing since Las Vegas selected him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. His struggles aren't solely on his shoulders, as the Raiders' offensive line has been lackluster during that span. However, Jeanty was viewed as a generational talent, which is why he went inside the top 10 in his draft class.

Jeanty was given a mulligan for last season because the offensive line play was so putrid. He ran for 975 yards and five touchdowns on 266 carries (3.7 yards per attempt), not a bad output for his rookie season.

It's been a tumultuous season so far for Jeanty, who has been battling adversity since the offseason. The Boise State product has battled injuries for the majority of the season. It can be assumed that he hasn't been 100 percent all season, averaging 3.1 yards per carry and rushing for one touchdown. He's been a tremendous pass catcher out of the backfield, but he's judged on how effective he is between the tackles as a runner.

Mike Washington Jr. outcarried Jeanty 25-2 last week, as the two running backs essentially flipped roles. If Jeanty struggles again on Sunday, last week's backfield distribution could look the same moving forward.

Jalen Nailor

Nailor was the Raiders' most notable wide receiver addition this offseason, signing a three-year, $35 million contract in free agency. The former Vikings wideout hasn't lived up to the billing, catching 12 passes for 113 yards and one touchdown in seven appearances.

Luckily for Nailor, Las Vegas doesn't possess many weapons that could threaten his spot in the pecking order. That said, we've seen head coach Klint Kubiak limit Jeanty. Nailor needs to start producing at some point for the Raiders' offense to take flight. Additionally, general manager John Spytek could explore acquiring a wide receiver at the trade deadline.

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