Why Raiders' Preseason Is Mike Washington Jr.'s Time To Shine

The Las Vegas Raiders didn't emerge victorious over the Arizona Cardinals in their first preseason game, but wins and losses in August don't matter.

What really matters is the development of young players and their opportunities to see their first professional game action. Klint Kubiak's group saw plenty of that, with several rookies having impressive games.

Fernando Mendoza, Trey Zuhn III, and Mike Washington Jr. all had stellar debuts, and fans hope to see more as we approach the regular season. Today, we'll focus on Washington's impressive start and how he can keep that momentum going as the Raiders take on their final two preseason opponents.

Mike Washington Can Keep It Going

Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. (30) carries the ball against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Washington totaled six carries for 63 yards, including an impressive 53-yard scamper in which he showed advanced vision and reactive running.

Those numbers may not be ultra-encouraging when you take away the chunk yardage run, considering he otherwise ran the ball five times for 10 yards. However, you can't remove that explosive run; instead, it becomes a highlight of the evening.

Mike Washington Jr | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Washington will be happy to have that run on tape as he and the coaching staff watch film, but he knows there is more work to do. Eventually, the starters will have earned their fair share of preseason snaps, paving the way for the rookies and roster hopefuls to take the rest of the action.

Moving Forward

That means Washington should be able to take all the starting snaps and play throughout the last two preseason games, giving him even more opportunity to showcase his explosiveness and physicality as a runner.

The Raiders face two tough defenses in the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers over the next few weeks, even if we don't know which defenders will actually play in those games and for how long. Regardless, Washington should revel in the opportunity to put more promising plays on film.

Las Vegas will rely heavily on Ashton Jeanty this season, as Kubiak wants to establish the run game. However, when Jeanty needs a break in the action, the team will turn to Washington to relieve him.

These preseason games are a chance for Washington to show that he is capable of handling a massive workload behind Jeanty, even as a fourth-round rookie. If he continues to break off runs like he did Thursday night, the Raiders should continue to have confidence in him.

Washington has some intriguing tools, and fans got to see them on display. He hopes to create more big plays so he can have a role in the offense during the regular season.

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