One Las Vegas Raiders rookie is going to have to be ready for whatever is thrown his way, and he’s already responded well
The Las Vegas Raiders have to have a lot of trust in Mike Washington Jr. to take over at starting running back if Ashton Jeanty can’t go.
The Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in a predicament nobody wants to be in. The Ashton Jeanty ankle injury has cast a shadow over the final stretch of the preseason, and while the news is better than initially feared, it raises an important question: who carries the load until Jeanty gets back?
The injury was originally reported as a knee issue before being corrected to an ankle injury, which is the far preferable outcome. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported there is no belief the injury is long-term. Still, details remain limited. From all accounts, the scene at practice was sobering, with the team kneeling, everyone going quiet, and the group joining in prayer. That does not sound like a 2-week injury, though that is purely speculation without a confirmed prognosis.
What is clear is that Jeanty is not playing Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers in the final preseason game. There would be no reason to. Week 1 availability remains uncertain. If the ankle sprain is on the lower end of the scale, he could be fine by then. But the Raiders will almost certainly prepare as if he could miss time.
Mike Washington is the name to know
That preparation means one name: Mike Washington. The Raiders selected Washington in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and it felt like a steal at the time. Before the draft, his tape had him looking like a lock to be a second- or third-round pick, probably the third round given the running back class was not particularly strong. His NFL Combine performance pushed him into that conversation. Washington stands 6’1, 220 pounds, and ran a 4.3-second 40-yard dash. That combination is rare.
Fans have drawn a comparison to Darren McFadden, the former Arkansas Razorback running back who also played for the Raiders. It goes beyond measurables. The way Washington runs looks strikingly similar to McFadden. And so far in the preseason, Washington has backed up the hype with production.
His numbers through the preseason tell the story:
- 15 carries – 119 rushing yards (first among rookies) – 106 yards after contact (first among rookies) – A 53-yard run, one that was nicely set up by the offensive line and a key block from wide receiver Jack Besh – A 33-yard run against the Houston Texans where he created something out of nothing, running into what looked like a demolished offensive line before finding his way out of the pile
That 33-yard run against Houston is the kind of play the Raiders need from their running back. Washington fits well in the wide zone run scheme that offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak wants to run, and he can handle between-the-tackles work fairly well, too. Those two traits together make him a viable option, not just a change-of-pace back filling in.
What to watch over the next few weeks
Now, granted, this is preseason. Take everything with a grain of salt. Would you want Mike Washington as the starter for the entire season? Probably not. But what he has shown is that he is good enough to handle the role for a few weeks if the Raiders need him to.
The things to monitor from here are significant. What is Washington doing at practice? How are the Raiders using him during the remaining parts of camp? Does he even play Thursday in the preseason finale? All of these details matter as the team approaches a possible reality where Washington opens the season as the starter.
It is time to at least consider Mike Washington being the Week 1 starter. That is not a prediction that it will happen, but the possibility is real. And if it does, Washington might just be ready.
