The Las Vegas Raiders may need to decide how much their backfield should change before the three-game skid gets any longer. Running backs Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. remain listed first and second, respectively, on the team’s most recent official depth chart. However, Locked On Raiders host Qiant Myers said Washington’s work against Buffalo has strengthened his case for receiving more opportunities.
Myers cautioned against treating one rushing average as a final verdict on either player. Washington’s production included an 18-yard carry, he noted, while Jeanty’s 2.2-yard average drew understandable attention after the 33-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills. His larger point was the rushing problem belongs to the blockers and backs together, not simply to the player getting the most carries.
That does not mean Jeanty is losing the starting role. The official depth chart still places him ahead of Washington. The Raiders built their 2026 backfield with Jeanty as its lead option. They drafted Washington in the fourth round to add size and explosiveness behind him.
Washington’s emergence nevertheless gives the offense a legitimate personnel question. If he continues to earn snaps, the staff can reduce some of Jeanty’s early down burden, test run-game combinations and force opponents to prepare for a bigger back with speed. Myers said coach Klint Kubiak was pleased with Washington’s performance, but no lineup change was announced during the episode.
The decision carries more weight because the Raiders have little margin for error. They are 3-3 after opening 3-0. A more reliable ground game would help stabilize an offense that has struggled to create momentum after halftime and faces the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7. Jeanty remains the focal point of the backfield, but Washington has made the distribution of work worth watching.
Raiders News and Notes
– Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker said the offense must execute better after halftime. The club has repeatedly deferred after winning the coin toss, but Tucker said the players have not made enough of those second-half opening possessions.
– Raiders quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza remain first and second on the latest official depth chart. Myers argued Cousins has not been the central reason for the losing streak and Mendoza should not be rushed into action solely because he offers more mobility.
More on the Las Vegas Raiders
- Tyler Linderbaum Struggles Amplified and More PFF Grades From Raiders’ Loss to Bills
- The Raiders Don’t Have Any Good Answers on the Offensive Line
- Klint Kubiak Believes the Raiders Ran the Ball Well Against Bills
- Raiders’ Week 6 Snap Count Observations: Ashton Jeanty is Losing Playing Time
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