For the first time in what has felt like several years, the Las Vegas Raiders are held in reasonably high esteem heading into the 2025 NFL season. While most still predict them to be on the outside looking in come playoff time, this is generally thought to be an improved football team.
Some of that is the effect of adding people like Tom Brady and Pete Carroll to the organization, but a lot of it has to do with the personnel moves they made this offseason. Geno Smith is a drastic upgrade at quarterback, and Ashton Jeanty should revive the Raiders' rushing attack this season.
Gaining traction in the AFC West will certainly be difficult after each of Las Vegas' three counterparts won at least 10 games and made the playoffs last season. However, the Raiders do have distinct advantages over them now, including the presence of Jeanty, who could be an All-Pro in Year 1.
ESPN proves its anti-Raiders bias with latest Chargers prediction
ESPN's Ben Solak is not buying the Jeanty hype, however. On Tuesday, he made 100 predictions about the NFL season, and to once again prove the anti-Raiders bias that runs rampant in the national media, he came up with this bold forecast for the season:
"Omarion Hampton will win Offensive Rookie of the Year," Solak wrote. "I think he will quickly out-touch Najee Harris, and I think the Chargers want to go back to a more run-heavy approach after turning pass-heavy out of necessity late last season. He'll outproduce fellow first-rounder Ashton Jeanty, too. I see a 1,200-rushing-yard season incoming."
To assert that Hampton will have a great season and out-touch Harris is not unreasonable. But to believe that he will outproduce Jeanty in his rookie season feels like a bridge too far.
RELATED: Raiders given small chance to dethrone Chiefs for AFC West title
Las Vegas will also have a more run-heavy approach this season under coach Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Jeanty will be in more of a workhorse role right away as well because his backup is Raheem Mostert, who has plenty of tread on the tires.
Jeanty running for less than 1,200 yards also feels unlikely, just due to the sheer volume that most expect from him right away in his NFL career. With a dramatically improved offense in Las Vegas, there may not be a better situation for a rookie running back to be entering.
Obviously, the Raiders need to prove that they are a changed franchise before national publications like ESPN start to believe in them. However, by the looks of it, the Silver and Black could be unrecognizable from a year ago, and ESPN may have to eat their words when it comes to this prediction.