If there is still noise about the Las Vegas Raiders wasting last year's No. 6 pick on "bust" Ashton Jeanty, I'm certainly not hearing it after his Week 1 showing against the Miami Dolphins. Jeanty was arguably the best player on the field for the Raiders, and he looked like one of the best in the league.
Even though the Dolphins aren't the most formidable foe that Las Vegas will play during the 2026 NFL season, and perhaps one of the worst, one thing that they had going for them was a solid front seven against the run. With or without Jeanty, it was going to be a challenge for Klint Kubiak's offense.
But they rose to the occasion on Sunday, and Jeanty, of course, was a major piece of that puzzle. His stardom gives the Raiders a clear formula going forward, which is leaning on him heavily, so long as everyone else in Las Vegas continues or starts to hold up their end of the bargain to make it happen.
Las Vegas Raiders' Ashton Jeanty was flat-out dominant against Dolphins in Week 1
A glance at the stat sheet tells most of the story for Jeanty: He ran 23 times for 102 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and caught 6 passes for 45 yards and 2 touchdowns. He led Las Vegas in each of the said categories, but he's also 4th in the NFL in rushing yards and tied for 1st in receiving touchdowns.
This was a purely dominant performance, as Jeanty put both his versatility and superior skill set on display. The Raiders' offensive line held up exceptionally well against the Dolphins' front, and Jeanty used his vision, speed, patience and balance to spot holes, burst through them and churn out yards.
Kubiak employed Jeanty in creative ways, putting him in the slot and inline several times, and even out wide on one occasion. He was a diverse weapon for this offense, as Jeanty was a total mismatch for Miami's linebackers and nickel defenders. He's a great runner and a problem out of the backfield.
And while the offensive line certainly held up their end of the bargain on Sunday, Jeanty also did a lot of work himself. He forced three missed tackles in Week 1 and had 79 yards after contact, which was almost 3.5 yards after contact per attempt.
Jeanty sprinted through obvious lanes paved by the big boys up front in Las Vegas, but he also got skinny and squeezed through holes that were seemingly non-existent on the broadcast and turned nothing into something several times.
After the game, Kubiak didn't hesitate to tell the media how special he thinks Jeanty is:
"What he did tonight is what we expect from him," Kubiak told reporters. "But doing it with a bad ankle, with a little bit less practice than he's used to, I think just tells you the kind of guy you're dealing with."
Starting quarterback Kirk Cousins echoed his head coach's sentiment.
"I can't say enough good things about Ashton [Jeanty]," Cousins said postgame. "We really needed him. He was a big reason we won the game. ... We're going to ask a lot of him this year. He's a great player, great person. I think he can handle a lot mentally."
Clearly, the Raiders are on the same page about who this offense funnels through. But Jeanty's rose of a performance also has a serious thorn: Las Vegas can't rely on Jeanty to do it all against every opponent. Others must pull through for the formula to produce favorable results.
Raiders' Ashton Jeanty plan only works if Kirk Cousins and others step up
On Sunday against Miami, Jeanty had 29 opportunities to touch the ball. After him, the next most-utilized players were Mike Washington Jr. and Michael Mayer, who had seven carries and seven targets, respectively. The Raiders are the Jeanty show, for better or for worse.
Against the Dolphins, it was for the better. But even in the second half, fans could see how that may be for the worse if Cousins and others don't step up around him. Obviously, it is harder to run the ball in the second half of a game that you're leading, as the opponent sells out to stop it and the clock.
But in the first half, the Raiders' 14 carries went for 74 yards, which was 5.3 yards per attempt. In the second half, their 23 rushes mustered only 56 yards, which was 2.4 yards per attempt. And it was no coincidence that Cousins also threw two interceptions in the second half.
Miami did what, frankly, other teams are going to do against Las Vegas. They started to stack the box more and limit the Raiders' rushing attack, forcing Cousins to beat them in the intermediate and deep areas of the field. But Cousins was just 1-for-7 for 21 yards and two picks on throws of 10+ yards.
That is gravely concerning.
And the offensive line performed well on Sunday, but they'll face better fronts than the Dolphins, and there is only so much that they can do when teams roll so many defenders into the box. Fullback Connor Heyward is a huge help, and the skill position players blocked well, to their credit.
If the Raiders intend to lean on Jeanty, though, they need to at least keep opposing defenses honest. And without spoiling the first win of the season by being too negative here, there should at least be some concern going forward about Las Vegas' ability to do that with the Cousins we saw on Sunday.
Jeanty will still have success, don't get me wrong. Him and Washington Jr. seem to be a great 1-2 punch, and Kubiak can always use Jeanty as a weapon in the passing game. Plus, the team didn't have Brock Bowers on Sunday, which is a major factor. This offense can still be very good.
Maybe the veteran quarterback turns it around, and Kubiak has a trick up his sleeve; he seems to always have one. But the Los Angeles Chargers, for as poorly as they played in their Week 1 loss against the Arizona Cardinals, actually stopped the run pretty well.
In Week 4, the Raiders will face an improved Kansas City Chiefs front. In Week 5, they'll have to gain yards against a stiff New England Patriots run defense. It doesn't get easier from here, and Las Vegas has its work cut out for it if the plan going forward is to air the Ashton Jeanty show every Sunday.
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