Fantasy Football Star Ashton Jeanty Asked To Change Backfield Stance

Las Vegas Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty enters the NFL as a fantasy football darling—if he can adjust to Chip Kelly’s demand to ditch his iconic upright stance.

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, Ashton Jeanty and general manager John Spytek during a news conference introducing Jeanty as the first round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft at Intermountain Health Performance Center. | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

With the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders selected running back Ashton Jeanty out of Boise State. A favorite in fantasy football circles, Jeanty is the consensus No. 1 pick in 2025 dynasty leagues and is already being drafted in the first round of many high-stakes PPR formats heading into his rookie season.

After leading the nation in rushing yards (2,601) and ranking second in rushing touchdowns (29) behind quarterback Bryson Daily in 2024, Jeanty now faces a surprising adjustment. Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has asked him to abandon his signature “Michael Myers” upright stance in the backfield—an iconic element of his running style—to better fit the team’s offensive system.

Ashton Jeanty was reportedly told to “stop” his iconic pre-snap stance IMMEDIATELY by Chip Kelly (Raiders OC).

Jeanty has since followed Kelly’s orders, but reportedly hopes to “gain the privilege” back once he establishes himself as a Top RB.

Jeanty’s stance was an iconic move… pic.twitter.com/Jjn1l9t8YB

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) May 19, 2025

Ashton Jeanty On Changing His Stance:

"You know, sometimes you've got to go with the flow," Jeanty told Kay Adams during a recent interview for Panini. "What's crazy is Chip Kelly comes up to me the first day of rookie mini-camp. He was like, 'Have you ever played basketball?' Yeah, I've played basketball. I can dunk, all that. He was like, 'Show me how you can guard me?' He's holding the ball and then he's like, 'That's exactly why you've got to be down in your running back stance.' 

"He won for now. I'm going to try and persuade him one day. I've got to earn my stripes, make some plays first. But I don't think it's going to be the end."

Ashton Jeanty Fantasy Football Outlook:

Las Vegas finished dead last in rushing yards last season (380 carries for 1,357 yards and 10 TDs, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry), making the addition of the explosive Jeanty a clear priority. Pete Carroll thrived with a workhorse back in Marshawn Lynch during his Super Bowl run in Seattle, and Jeanty now enters a similarly favorable setup. With only Zamir White and Raheem Mostert ahead of him, Jeanty is poised to rise quickly atop the depth chart. In a run-heavy offense tailored by Kelly, the Boise State star projects for 250+ touches as a rookie. His three-down versatility and seamless fit in the scheme make him a dynasty RB1 and a first-round pick in high-stakes redraft leagues. It's not out of the question that he could finish the season as the top running back, outshining the likes of Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs.

Kelly has long been synonymous with explosive rushing attacks. In his lone 2024 season at Ohio State, the Buckeyes lit up the scoreboard and his offense ranked fourth in the Big Ten. That offense produced two 1,000-yard backs in TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, both of whom are now NFL-bound. His ground-game genius translated to the pros in 2013, when as a first-year head coach in Philadelphia, he tweaked LeSean McCoy’s mechanics and unlocked a career-high 1,607 rushing yards.

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Jeanty has relied on his trademark upright stance—arms relaxed at his sides—since his high school days, a style that has long felt second nature. While it’s a notable change, there’s little reason to doubt Jeanty will adapt seamlessly to his new NFL posture and continue his rise to stardom under Carroll and Kelly’s tutelage.