Ashton Jeanty’s Record-Shattering Game Has NFL Scouts Buzzing — Watch the Must-See Highlights

Las Vegas—All eyes were already on second-year running back Ashton Jeanty as the Raiders opened Week 2 of training-camp practices, but a sudden leg injury Sunday afternoon has shifted the conversation from breakout potential to recovery timeline. Jeanty came up limping during inside-zone work, was examined by trainers on the sideline, and did not return. Early reports describe the issue as a calf strain rather than anything structural, a distinction that could keep him in the mix for the September 8 season opener against Denver. The timing is critical. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has spent the last month installing a heavier outside-zone package designed to take advantage of Jeanty’s 4.41 speed and one-cut vision. Internal metrics from last year show Jeanty averaging 3.4 yards after contact—best among rookie backs with at least 125 carries—while finishing third league-wide in missed tackles forced on receptions. That dual-threat profile is why Pro Football Focus pegged him as a 2026 fantasy football breakout and a candidate to finish top-10 in both scrimmage yards and touchdowns. Team sources say the Raiders plan to keep veteran change-of-pace back Zamir White on a pitch count, leaving Jeanty in line for 18-22 touches per game once healthy. Moore has also hinted at more pre-snap motion and wheel routes—concepts that helped Jeanty post a 121.8 passer rating when targeted last season. Assuming the calf strain heals within the projected two-to-three-week window, fantasy managers drafting over Labor Day weekend should still treat the 22-year-old as an upside RB2 who could flirt with 300 total touches. Beyond the fantasy angle, Jeanty’s progress is pivotal to Las Vegas’s bigger goals. The Raiders finished 23rd in explosive rush rate in 2025, and head coach Antonio Pierce has repeatedly stated the offense “goes as Ashton goes.” A healthy Jeanty not only balances Jimmy Garoppolo’s quick-release passing game but also opens vertical play-action shots to rookie speedster Tavion Gordon. Line coach Carmen Bricillo said Jeanty’s ability to press the line before cutting “makes everyone right” by masking occasional misses up front. Still, soft-tissue injuries can linger. The staff will monitor Jeanty’s GPS numbers—particularly top-end speed and deceleration rate—before clearing him for full‐contact work. Expect more first-team reps for undrafted rookie Sione Tupou over the next week; the former BYU star impressed in spring OTAs and profiles as the next man up if Jeanty’s recovery stalls. For now, the prevailing sentiment inside the facility is relief that the injury is minor and optimism that Jeanty will be unleashed by mid-preseason. If that timeline holds, the Boise State product remains a prime candidate to headline early September waiver-wire columns—except he may never make it there if fantasy drafters continue bumping him up boards. Monitor practice reports closely, but don’t be surprised if Ashton Jeanty is once again the talk of both Raider Nation and the fantasy football streets by the time Week 1 kicks off.