Based on invested draft capital and opportunity alone, there was plenty of reason to be optimistic about Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty in fantasy football circles entering the 2025 NFL season. Unfortunately, that optimism has given way to frustrating inconsistency.
Jeanty has had his work cut out for him, running behind an offensive line that was misconstructed, then struggled, and then became very injured. While he is RB13 in full PPR scoring entering Week 17, his weekly outputs have ranged from 4.4 to 33.5 fantasy points.
One of those "boom" games, surprisingly, given the difficulty of the matchup, came in Week 16 vs. the Houston Texans. Buoyed by a couple of big touchdown plays, a 51-yard run and a 60-yard reception, Jeanty had 188 total yards on 25 touches, totaling 31.8 fantasy points for an RB3 finish last week.
Patience is set to be a virtue for fortunate Ashton Jeanty fantasy managers
Of course, a lot of Jeanty's fantasy managers were already eliminated from the playoffs before Week 16's strong outing. But those who have navigated the ups and downs of his season, since leagues are won beyond the first round of fantasy drafts, are in line to keep benefiting.
In Week 17, the Raiders will take on the New York Giants in a game that will have a big say in determining who gets the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. While that is the focus of the fan base, Pete Carroll has assured everyone that Las Vegas will be trying to win.
The Giants, who are also quite down in the dumps, also have the league's 31st-ranked run defense. This has naturally translated to them being very generous in terms of yielding fantasy points to opposing running backs.
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In finer terms, five running backs have scored at least 25 full PPR points against them, 11 running backs have rushed for at least 80 yards against them, and they have allowed 72 receptions to the position, which is tied for eighth-most in the league.
If not for some backfield splits they've faced, more individual backs would've had their way with the Giants' defense over the course of the season. Jeanty has all the Raiders' backfield work to himself to a degree few running backs in the league do, and there's no reason for that to change in Week 17.
There's a path for him to finish as the RB1 in championship week for most fantasy leagues, and his two-week closing stretch is lined up to help his patient, savvy and truly most fortunate fantasy managers win leagues in his rookie season.