Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty is entering the 2026 NFL season with bigger expectations after an encouraging but challenging rookie campaign.
Jeanty believes his second NFL season could bring a major improvement as he becomes more comfortable with the speed of the professional game and the Raiders’ offense.
After being selected No. 6 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, Jeanty entered the league carrying enormous expectations. His rookie numbers were still impressive, but difficult circumstances around the Raiders offense prevented him from consistently producing the explosive performances many fans expected.
Now, with a new season approaching, Jeanty is focused on taking another significant step forward.
Ashton Jeanty Wants a Big Jump in Year 2
Jeanty’s expectations for himself are clear.
Speaking during Raiders training camp, the young running back acknowledged that he needs to make a major jump during his sophomore season.
That confidence should excite Raiders fans because Jeanty already showed plenty of potential as a rookie.
The biggest difference in 2026 could come from experience. Jeanty now understands NFL defensive speed, blocking schemes and the physical demands of a full professional season.
Instead of learning everything for the first time, he can focus on improving the smaller details of his game.
Jeanty’s Rookie Numbers Were Better Than They Looked
Jeanty’s rookie season wasn’t the disappointment some might assume.
He finished 2025 with 975 rushing yards on 266 carries, averaging 3.7 yards per attempt while scoring five rushing touchdowns.
Jeanty also contributed significantly as a receiver.
He caught 55 passes for 346 yards and five touchdowns, giving him 1,321 total scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns during his first NFL season.
Those 1,321 scrimmage yards also set a Raiders rookie record, surpassing the previous mark held by Josh Jacobs.
Producing those numbers while playing in a struggling offense makes Jeanty’s Year-2 potential even more interesting.
Raiders Need to Give Jeanty More Help
One of the biggest challenges Jeanty faced wasn’t necessarily his own performance.
Las Vegas struggled to consistently create running lanes.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats cited by NFL.com, Jeanty recorded only 112 rushing yards before contact during his rookie season, the second-lowest total among running backs with at least 200 carries.
An incredible 88.5% of his rushing yards came after contact.
That statistic demonstrates how frequently Jeanty had to create yardage himself.
If the Raiders offensive line improves in 2026, Jeanty could have significantly more opportunities to reach the second level of the defense and create explosive runs.
Klint Kubiak Could Unlock Jeanty’s Potential
Another major reason for optimism is Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak.
Kubiak has made it clear that Las Vegas wants to challenge Jeanty and get more production from its talented running back.
That could mean building a larger portion of the offense around Jeanty’s versatility.
Jeanty isn’t simply a traditional runner.
His ability to catch passes gives Las Vegas opportunities to move him around the formation, create favorable matchups and get him into open space.
If Kubiak successfully designs an offense that maximizes those abilities, Jeanty’s numbers could rise quickly.
Can Ashton Jeanty Become an NFL Star in 2026?
The talent has never been the biggest question.
Jeanty entered the NFL after an extraordinary college career at Boise State and quickly demonstrated his ability to break tackles at the professional level.
Despite difficult running conditions as a rookie, he forced 71 missed tackles on rushing attempts, according to NFL.com’s reporting using Next Gen Stats.
That ranked among the league’s best totals.
Those numbers suggest there could be significantly more production available if Las Vegas provides better blocking and a more efficient overall offense.
A jump from 975 rushing yards to his first 1,000-yard rushing season appears to be a realistic target.
But Jeanty’s ambitions could be much higher.
Raiders Could Build Their Offense Around Jeanty
Las Vegas needs offensive playmakers capable of changing games.
Jeanty has the potential to become exactly that.
His combination of strength, contact balance, receiving ability and explosive-play potential makes him one of the Raiders’ most important offensive weapons entering 2026.
A productive running game would also take pressure away from the quarterback position and make Las Vegas’ play-action offense more dangerous.
That’s why Jeanty’s Year-2 development could have an impact beyond his individual statistics.
If he improves, the entire Raiders offense could benefit.
Jeanty’s development will be an important storyline to monitor as Las Vegas moves closer to meaningful football. Follow our NFL Preseason 2026 coverage for upcoming games, player performances, roster battles, and preseason storylines.
Final Thoughts
Ashton Jeanty’s second NFL season could become one of the most interesting storylines to watch for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026.
His rookie campaign wasn’t perfect, but 1,321 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns showed exactly why Las Vegas invested the No. 6 overall pick in him.
Now Jeanty has NFL experience, a new offensive system and an opportunity to take another major step forward.
If the Raiders can improve their blocking and create more opportunities for him in open space, Jeanty’s predicted “big jump” could become reality.
And if everything comes together, 2026 could be the season Ashton Jeanty goes from promising young running back to one of the Raiders’ biggest offensive stars.
