PFF thinks Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty could be top fantasy back in 2026

[ASFN Admin]

It was a rough rookie season for Ashton Jeanty. The sixth overall pick rookie had a near impossible task of creating positive yardage behind a line that routinely got him swarmed by tacklers. Many times well before he'd even reached the line of scrimmage.

Pro Football Focus looked beyond the stats which were tainted by bad blocking and they saw an elite running back on the few runs he had that were well blocked.

Despite ranking near the bottom of the league in yards before contact, Jeanty forced 61 missed tackles and earned a 92.3 PFF rushing grade on perfectly blocked runs, making him a prime breakout candidate in an improved Raiders offense.

What this suggests is should the Raiders offensive line return to respectability this season -- as they probably should with better coaching and added talent -- Jeanty could be in for a big season.

PFF put Jeanty atop their list of running backs who could breakout and be the number one fantasy option this season.

Las Vegas has a new head coach this season, and all indications point to the team having selected quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick. The Raiders also entered the offseason with significant cap space and invested in the offensive line by adding center Tyler Linderbaum, which should help improve Jeanty's efficiency.

They did caution, however, that new head coach Klint Kubiak tends to use a running back by committee approach which could mean a workload share with rookie Mike Washington and fewer goal line carries which means fewer touchdowns. All of which would limit his value.

This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: PFF thinks Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty could be top fantasy back in 2026

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