It won't take much for Las Vegas Raiders fans to be relatively pleased with the rushing attack during the 2026 NFL season. After all, the unit has scraped the bottom of the barrel in the league for the last two years, and they were 30th the year before that. The standards are low, but hopes are finally high.
Ashton Jeanty's injury may not be as bad as fans originally thought, and it seems like him suiting up in Week 1 is not entirely off the table. Plus, rookie Mike Washington Jr. looked promising this summer, and the veteran of the room, third-year pro Dylan Laube, took a big step this offseason as well.
But what precisely can Raiders fans expect from this unit during the fall and winter? Let's break it down by player and also make a bold prediction for each of them.
Previewing Las Vegas Raiders' RB room before the 2026 NFL season
Ashton Jeanty
Jeanty will be the undisputed workhorse for this team, as his vision, burst and hard running style will serve him well in the outside zone scheme that Klint Kubiak has brought to Las Vegas. He also has the ability to bounce it outside and gash defenses with long runs up the sideline.
Is Jeanty a prototypical home run hitter? No; he doesn't have that breakaway speed to the point that he is uncatchable in the open field. But what he lacks in that department, he makes up for with great quickness, juking ability, power and balance.
Just as often as Jeanty swerves around a defender, he runs right through his face. And with a better offensive line this offseason, at least on paper, Jeanty should have way more easy reads to make and wide holes to run through, which will make everything easier for him.
Although Jeanty still needs some work in pass protection, as all young running backs do, he is still a tremendous asset in the passing game as a receiver. He shined in that facet last year, and with more competence at the play-calling post, Jeanty should thrive even more this year.
Coming off an injury and given Washington Jr.'s strong play, the Raiders may take it a bit easy with Jeanty out of the gate. But by the end of the year, he'll remind everyone why he was the No. 6 pick just a little over a year ago.
Bold prediction: Jeanty eclipsed 1,800 scrimmage yards and 15 total touchdowns.
Mike Washington Jr.
It would be pretty easy to anoint Washington Jr. right now after the preseason that he had, but I think we should pump the brakes a bit. He will be the Raiders' No. 2 back, and seemingly an incredible one at that, but Washington Jr. won't be the bell cow or even approach a 50% snap share, in all likelihood.
When he's on the field, though, expect fireworks. Washington Jr. displayed his splash-play ability in the exhibition slate, breaking several big runs through a combination of size and speed. He stiff-armed defenders into the ground, juked tacklers and flat-out sprinted around them.
Where Washington Jr. impressed me the most during the preseason was how hard he ran between the tackles and how patient he was in finding holes. Instead of just bouncing everything to the outside immediately, as he did in college at times, he actually read the defense and picked his spots.
He also had some nice moments in pass protection, picking up a blitz and making a few good chips. But as a pass-catcher, Washington Jr. still needs work, particularly in making himself available as a safety valve. The concerns about ball security from college aren't dispelled after three games, either.
Washington Jr. should have a really solid role in Las Vegas, and in somewhat limited snaps, he should be able to bring the juice on practically every down. The Raiders will also be smart with how they use him, at least when Jeanty returns from injury.
Bold prediction: Washington Jr. records more than 600 all-purpose yards and 6 touchdowns.
Dylan Laube
Laube is, first and foremost, a great special-teamer and a tremendous guy to have in the locker room. And somehow, with just two NFL seasons under his belt, he is also the elder statesman for the running back group. So, his leadership will be needed in Las Vegas.
The best part of Laube's game is undoubtedly his pass-catching ability, which he has flashed for years now. If Kubiak can get him in space, Laube has a knack for making people miss, and he can churn out yards in the open field after the catch.
For his size, Laube is also a pretty good pass-blocker, so having him on the field in some third-down situations isn't necessarily a dead giveaway that he's running a route. Laube is also an underrated runner, as the switch to an outside zone scheme proved to be fruitful for him this summer.
Intelligence and vision are what make Laube go, and in this offense, he can utilize those because he'll be given the space and blocking to do so. Plus, he can get some designed touches in the screen game if Kubiak doesn't mind pulling both Jeanty and Washington Jr. off the field at times.
With Jeanty potentially out, Laube is the next man in line for snaps in the running back room. Even when he comes back into the lineup, though, an argument could be made that Laube deserves a role in this room. If nothing else, he'll make an impact as a returner and a coverage guy on special teams.
Bold prediction: Laube scores a touchdown on the ground and through the air this season.
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