Fantasy Outlook for Mike Washington Jr. Following Ashton Jeanty's Injury
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On Sunday, Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty needed help off the field after going down during a Raiders practice, unable to put pressure on his right leg. The initial reports on Jeanty were serious, with outlets suggesting that he may have torn his ACL on the play. However, when he was officially evaluated, his injury was deemed to be only a sprained ankle to the relief of the Raiders organization and fantasy managers alike.
#Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty, who had to be helped off the practice field today, is believed to have sprained his ankle, sources tell @AdamSchefter and me.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 24, 2026
Las Vegas still are unsure how long he will be out, but it is not considered a long-term injury and the organization is… pic.twitter.com/NchDFQDSdw
The sprained ankle injury is not considered to be a long term injury, but Jeanty’s recovery timeline is still uncertain. The Raiders have yet to comment on Jeanty’s recovery timeline which adds questions about the star running backs availability coming into week 1.
Sprained ankles typically take somewhere between 1-6 weeks to fully recover, so his timeline depends on the severity of the sprain. Best case scenario, Jeanty is back for week 1 with a minor sprain, while the worst case scenario, Jeanty could miss 3-4 games if it does take the full six weeks to recover from a more serious sprained ankle.
Mike Washington Jr. The Next Man Up
If the latter becomes reality, rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. will take Jeanty’s spot as the main back for the Raiders offense if Jeanty is sidelined coming into Week 1. Washington, a fourth round pick by the Raiders this year out of Arkansas, has had an impressive training camp so far taking some alternating starting reps even before Jeanty went down with the ankle sprain.
The rookie Mike Washington Jr. TAKES OFF for 53 yards 😤
— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/dIDqYckE2T
Washington Jr. has been impressive in his two preseason games rushing for 119 yards and averaging 7.9 yards per carry, breaking off two runs for over 30 yards including a 53 yard run, showcasing his speed and cutting ability. In his senior year with the Razorbacks he tacked up 1,070 yards and 8 TD’s on 167 attempts. With the injury to Jeanty, Washington Jr. will look to make his name known with the increased reps that he will likely see early in the season.
Fantasy managers with Jeanty on their roster should look to pick Washington Jr. off waivers if he is available as a handcuff for the beginning of the season as he looks to ascend as the lead back if Jeanty is out. Fantasy Managers with an upcoming draft could target Washington Jr. as a late round target and stash as a great sleeper pick stepping into a big workload if Jeanty is to miss time.
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Samuel Jacovitz has a diverse background in the sports media landscape having worked with Mandalay Sports Media, NBC Sports, and the NBA. A born and raised New Yorker and Syracuse University Graduate, Sam focuses on research and analysis when it comes to his fantasy sports content.
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