Why Raiders Running Back Ashton Jeanty Will Dominate Week 8 Fantasy Football Leagues
In this story:
The Las Vegas Raiders are set to take on the New York Jets amid a four-game skid, and will look to get Ashton Jeanty involved early, working through some inefficient performances entering Week 8. Jeanty and the Raiders’ offense has struggled to sustain a reliable rushing attack, but that hasn’t hampered the star back’s fantasy value over recent weeks.
Klint Kubiak has found ways to get Jeanty involved through the air, and the second-year back has established himself as one of football’s top receiving backs. This trend has made a significant impact on Jeanty’s PPR outlook, posting top-10 finishes in each of the last two weeks, despite just 37 combined rushing yards during that stretch.
New York’s defense presents a favorable matchup for Jeanty that should feature plenty of volume in the passing game, along with efficient carries in the run game. He’s already in the midst of a stellar stretch of fantasy output, but could reach new heights over the next few weeks. Here’s why Jeanty will dominate fantasy for Las Vegas’ upcoming stretch.
Ashton Jeanty’s Receiving Volume Bolsters Fantasy Upside
Jeanty encouraged fantasy managers with a 32.7-point performance in Week 1, but he hasn’t managed to reach that ceiling again so far this season. He hasn’t eclipsed 60 rushing yards since his 103-yard performance in the season opener, but his newfound receiving upside has significantly bolstered Jeanty’s fantasy outlook.
He’s taken on at least six targets in each of the last four games, posting at least 50 receiving yards in three games during that stretch. Jeanty has emerged as a key contributor to Las Vegas’ passing game, but I expect the offense will look to establish some identity on the ground against a lowly Jets defense, further bolstering Jeanty’s Week 8 ceiling.
Jeanty Has Elevated Ceiling in Run Game vs. Jets
New York’s defense has struggled mightily against the run amid the team’s 2-5 start to the 2026 campaign. The Jets enter Week 8 ranked as the No. 24 run defense in the NFL, allowing 130 or more rushing yards in four of their last five games. New York will likely be without key run defenders Joseph Ossai, David Bailey and T’Vondre Sweat, so these struggles will likely persist against Jeanty, who is looking to get back on track in Week 8.
So far this season, the Raiders’ feature back has tallied just 3.1 yards per carry over 106 carries, coming into Sunday’s game ranked 38th among all running backs in YPC. Las Vegas’ offense needs to establish the ground attack to shake a four-game losing streak, and Sunday’s matchup presents an ideal opportunity for the team to lean on Jeanty to jumpstart the NFL’s 31st-ranked run game.
Read More Fantasy On SI News
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.