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Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty eyeing 'big jump' after rookie year struggles | Latest NFL News, Analysis & Updates | NFL.com

Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty is optimistic about improving his performance in 2026 after struggling as a rookie due to poor offensive line play. The team has made upgrades to their offensive line, which should help Jeanty's production.

First seen Aug 03, 2026 · 11:30 AM UTC · last updated Aug 03 4:00 PM

Scoring Zone's Take

Ashton Jeanty's rookie campaign was hampered by poor offensive line play, and both sources agree the Raiders have made real upgrades up front heading into 2026. That's a meaningful positive signal for his outlook — better blocking should translate directly into more room to work as a runner, which is the single biggest lever for a between-the-tackles back whose efficiency was likely capped by negative plays behind a shaky line as a rookie. Jeanty also talked about taking on more of a leadership role in the RB room, which hints the team still sees him as the lead back rather than transitioning to a committee.

For draft prep, treat this as a modest but real bump to Jeanty's value. He shouldn't be undervalued simply because of a rough rookie environment — the underlying talent and workload profile remain intact, and the supporting cast is trending in the right direction. That said, this is offseason optimism from the player himself and the team's stated intent, not verified game-tape results, so keep your confidence calibrated: line upgrades on paper don't always translate to immediate cohesion in Week 1. Draft him as a back with legitimate breakout equity if the blocking improvements hold, but don't reach into must-start territory purely off this report. He's a solid RB2-with-upside target rather than a locked-in top-tier pick based on this news alone — worth moving up your board a touch, not overhauling it.

Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty eyeing 'big jump' after rookie year struggles

Here's a countdown of the 10 best highlight plays from Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty during the 2025 NFL season.

Ashton Jeanty is eager to put a forgettable rookie campaign in the past.

The No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft didn’t have the impact he’d hoped for on a three-win Las Vegas Raiders club. Jeanty believes things can be different in 2026.

“When everything is not going well, continuing to go to work and having hope and faith,” Jeanty said, via The Associated Press. “I think that’ll carry into this year. Just taking it one week at a time, whether you win or you lose, you’ve got to attack the next game and the next week with the same mindset.”

Jeanty struggled behind one of the worst -- if not the worst -- offensive lines in the NFL last season. The back earned 1.6 yards per attempt before contact last season, third-worst behind only Quinshon Judkins (1.4) and Chris Rodriguez Jr. (1.5), per Pro Football Reference. Getting pulverized behind the line rarely allowed Jeanty time to get up to speed.

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The Raiders improved their offensive line this offseason, signing Tyler Linderbaum to a record-setting contract, adding guard Spencer Burford and getting left tackle Kolton Miller back from injury. The offensive line upgrades should immediately aid Jeanty, and playing in Klint Kubiak’s scheme should put the back in advantageous positions to create explosive plays.

Outside of on-field improvement, Jeanty said he’s becoming more of a leader in the RB room after deferring as a rookie.

“It’s always tough being in the first year trying to figure out so much stuff,” Jeanty said. “But this year, there’s a lot of expectations for me and I think I’ve got to make a big jump. I think that starts with helping my teammates as well and just being a better teammate.”

Despite the blocking struggles, Jeanty generated 975 yards and five touchdowns on 266 carries, averaging 3.7 yards per tote. That average should ascend in 2026. Given what we know about Kubiak’s offense, expect a big improvement on the explosive front. After shining in that area in college, he had just three runs of 20-plus yards and two over the 40-yard mark last season. It’d be a surprise if he didn’t smash past those numbers early in the season.

Coverage from Nfl Dot Com News · by Kevin Patra · Aug 03, 2026 · read original