Ashton Jeanty’s rookie season is in the books. The numbers were good. The situation around him was not there.
This will change in 2026.
The Boise State alumnus was the sixth overall pick a year ago and was someone the Raiders latched onto early on. He racked up 266 carries for 975 yards and five touchdowns. Through the air, he caught 55 passes on 73 targets for 346 yards and five more scores.
This adds up to a total of 321 touches for 1,321 yards and 10 touchdowns.
As one of the top offensive weapons for the Silver and Black, let’s see what he could become in 2026.
Kubiak’s run-heavy blueprint
Last year in Seattle, as offensive coordinator, Kubiak had a pair of running backs in his offense. Kenneth Walker III – the Super Bowl MVP two months earlier – registered 221 carries for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns. Zach Charbonnet added 184 carries and 730 yards with two touchdowns.
Combined, he had a total of 405 carries for 1,757 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.
Two years ago, when Kubiak was in New Orleans, Alvin Kamara had 228 carries for 950 yards and six touchdowns. Kamara led the Saints with 68 receptions on 89 targets for 543 yards and two more scores. This came with then-Raiders quarterback Derek Carr leading the attack.
That heavy-handed approach will be key to what Jeanty is asked to do in Las Vegas. They will be expected to produce weekly.
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Whether it’s a bell-cow back or a two-back system, Jeanty is expected to have at least 20 touches per game in a Raiders uniform.
But that production will take more than just Jeanty – it will take a whole crime.
“Very excited about his skill set,” Kubiak said of Jeanty during his introductory press conference in February. “Very excited about his talent. The thing I tell him and all his teammates is it’s not one guy. We’ve got to get on the same page, line up. We’ve got to get our quarterback to get the right run check. Our receivers have got to get on the block for him to keep the play action going. As soon as our players realize it’s a team thing and not an individual thing, we’re going to be successful.”
From Kirk Cousins, Aidan O’Connell or Fernando Mendoza to center Tyler Linderbaum and left tackle Colton Miller to wide receivers Jack Beech and Jalen Naylor, establishing an offensive identity with the run will be key.
The only question is how quickly everyone will be able to learn the new plan.
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Learning curve for Jeanty in 2026
From the moment quarterback Kirk Cousins signed with the Raiders, he said, “The best quarterback will play.”
Right now, the Raiders have Cousins and Aidan O’Connell on the roster at quarterback. The Silver and Black will add another signal-caller to the projected No. 1 pick, Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana.
Over his career, Cousins has had useful running backs – players like Alfred Morris and Dalvin Cook.
Cook’s four best seasons with Minnesota came from 2019 to 2022, resulting in a Pro Bowl selection. This stretch also coincides with Kubiak serving as the Vikings’ quarterbacks coach in 2019 and 2020 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2021.
In the three seasons Cook, Cousins and Kubiak were together, Cook had at least 249 carries and 1,130 rushing yards per year. He scored 35 rushing touchdowns over those three seasons, including 16 in 2020. Through the air, Cook had at least 49 targets and 34 receptions for 220 yards each year.
In 2019, Cook played in 14 games and totaled 250 carries for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns, adding 53 receptions on 63 targets for 519 yards.
“It’s really a privilege to work with Clint again,” Cousins said during his Raiders introductory press conference. “I think a lot about him as a person. I think a lot about his system, his staff, Rick, Andrew, the way they marry and pass. It’s a system that makes a lot of sense. I’m excited to be reunited with them.”
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Cousin Factor for Jeanty
One thing that will be worth watching is how quickly Cousins and O’Connell adapt to the offense. For Cousins, it’s a case of relearning the scheme.
In addition to Kubiak, Cousins is also reuniting with offensive coordinator Andrew Janko after his time in Minnesota. Janko was with the Vikings for seven seasons, including 2017 to 2021.
The goal this spring and summer will be to see how much offense Cousins can regain.
“I wanted it to be plug-and-play but as all great offenses do, it evolves,” Cousins said. “When I first came here I said to Andrew, ‘We’ve got a lot of catching up to do. It’s been four seasons of football but I’m not done with you.’ He texted me later and said, ‘I forgot it’s been four seasons. We have done a lot in four years that have made a difference.”
the ball is his
Cousins and the quarterback situation will be sorted out. It will take time to establish the crime. Sufferings will increase.
But there’s no question about one thing: Jeanty is getting the ball. Very. In the offense created for what he does. Year 2 starts now.
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