Sports
Ashton Jeanty is entering the NFL amid great excitement following his impressive college career at Boise State. In his final season, he amassed 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging an impressive 7.0 yards per carry. He came agonizingly close to breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record, falling just 27 yards short-a feat that cements his reputation as a generational talent.
The Las Vegas Raiders selected Jeanty sixth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. He is the fifth running back since 2017 to be among the top 10 picks in the first round. He joins Bijan Robinson (8th in 2023), Saquon Barkley (2nd in 2018), Leonard Fournette (4th in 2017), and Christian McCaffrey (8th in 2017). This year’s draft also saw North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton secure a spot in the first round, but Jeanty is the one who is receiving the most attention for his historic last NCAA season.
Rookie Running Backs: What the Past Predicts
Expectations are high for new head coach Pete Carroll and for Raiders fans, who are eager for a star player to elevate the franchise. What can fantasy football players expect from this rookie class? Let’s take a closer look. The 2025 draft saw six running backs among the NFL’s top 100 picks, with Jeanty and Hampton leading the group. Over the last decade, rookie running backs have proven that they can have an immediate impact, especially the elite ones selected early.
Since 2015, six top-10 drafted backs, including Ezekiel Elliott and Todd Gurley, have averaged 235 carries, 1,082 yards, and 8.5 touchdowns in their debut seasons. That’s a lofty benchmark for Jeanty to chase. However, the data reveals surprises as well. Four of the 10 best rookie campaigns came from backs picked outside the top 50, such as Kareem Hunt (86th in 2017), who had 1,327 yards, and Jordan Howard (150th in 2016), who had 1,313 yards. Talent can shine through regardless of draft slot if the situation’s right.
For Jeanty, the outlook is promising. CBSSports.com‘s Fantasy Footballexperts project that he will carry the ball 273 times for 1,115 yards and 10 touchdowns, which would land him as the RB9 in their rankings. If you like to bet, DraftKings Sportsbook lists his odds at +115 to surpass 1,100 rushing yards-a tempting wager.
Pete Carroll’s old-school, run-heavy approach, paired with Chip Kelly’s playmaking prowess, could set Jeanty up for a big year on offense. The Raiders’ defense, led by Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins, is formidable, but the rest of the unit must step up against a tough division with strong offenses from the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos.
Can the Raiders-and Jeanty-Turn the Tide?
The Raiders have struggled since their devastating Super Bowl XXXVII loss in 2002. Over the past 22 years, they’ve had just two winning seasons and two playoff berths, both of which ended in Wild Card disappointments. A division crown seems like an unattainable goal, and they’ve won five or fewer games in 12 of those seasons, including last year.
This season’s schedule doesn’t cut them any slack. They kick off in New England against Mike Vrabel’s retooled Patriots and then face the division rival Chargers in a Monday night home opener. In Week 3, they travel to Washington to face Jayden Daniels and the Commanders. It’s a tough start to the season for a team that hasn’t inspired much hope in decades, but Jeanty could be the X-factor to turn things around.
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