Team news: Las Vegas Raiders | Page 2

Klint Kubiak said they’re still monitoring Ashton Jeanty’s status heading into Week 1, “but we’re counting on him.”

Related Players: Mike Washington Jr., Dylan Laube, Dare Ogunbowale

Kubiak stopped short of confirming that Jeanty will play, but his wording moves the situation in a slightly positive direction. Washington remains the clear contingency and should be rostered everywhere, while Jeanty is a far more risky bet at the 1/2 turn than even one week ago.

With Ashton Jeanty sidelined, Washington started Thursday’s preseason finale and rushed eight times for 49 yards. He finished the preseason with 168 rushing yards and an average of 7.3 yards per carry.

Related Players: Dylan Laube, Dare Ogunbowale

The underlying usage was even more encouraging. Washington played 16 of the Raiders’ first 20 offensive snaps and opened each of their first two drives with six consecutive snaps. Laube primarily spelled him in passing situations, indicating that Washington is currently the preferred early-down replacement for Jeanty. Washington is currently ranked as a low-end RB4, but that could very easily slide up when we get more clearance on Jeanty's Week 1 (and beyond) availability.

Ashton Jeanty's ankle sprain is considered more low than high, and it isn't considered a major injury.

Related players: Mike Washington Jr., Dylan Laube, Dare Ogunbowale

It's quite the change from the initial reports when Jeanty first went down and things were pretty intense. Now, his status for Week 1 certainly isn't locked in, and there is a chance he won't play. But, that fact the team is hopeful he can be ready to go, one can read into it he won't miss a lot of time, if he can't go for opening week. Rapoport said the team does like Washington, so if Jeanty can't go in Week 1, the team seems to feel good about Washington and will be anxious to get a look at him. Overall, the good news is this isn't a season-ending injury for Jeanty.

Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty needed help off the practice field on Sunday after injuring his right leg.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Jeanty was diagnosed with a sprained ankle.

Big relief for Jeanty, the Raiders and his fantasy owners. The initial reports about Jeanty's injury didn't sound great, so a sprained ankle is certainly good news. We do know it's not considered a long-term injury, but we do not know what kind of sprain it was, or how much time the team expects Jeanty to miss. After that scare, owners may want to pick up rookie Mike Washington Jr. if at all possible, or be sure to draft him as a handcuff.

Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty left practice Sunday with an apparent knee injury.

According to McFadden, Jeanty landed awkwardly after diving for a catch. He was helped off the field as he was unable to put pressure on his leg. McFadden added the "entire team took a knee and said a prayer."

Early to speculate what the injury could be, but if it is a serious injury, it's obviously a brutal blow to the Raiders offense. Mike Washington Jr. has looked good this preseason, but losing Jeanty would be a very tough pill to swallow, as there were high hopes for Jeanty in a Klint Kubiak-led offense. We'll update this story as more information becomes available.

Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said Sunday that he’s liking what he’s seeing from Malik Benson, whether it’s building a rapport with fellow rookie Fernando Mendoza, or getting reps with the first-string offense quarterbacked by Kirk Cousins.

“Time on task helps everybody get better,” Kubiak said. “Malik has jumped in there with the ones at times, he’s earned those reps, but he’s got to stay humble and stay hungry.”

Benson is a familiar named in the dynasty community where he was a later-round prospect. He has always had the talent, but it didn't really transition in college. The story went on to say after playing two years of junior college football at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, Benson was viewed as the No. 1 junior college prospect in the country in 2023. He committed to Alabama, but after catching just 13 passes in 14 games there, he transferred to Florida State in 2024. After one season with the Seminoles, Benson transferred again, finishing his college career at Oregon in 2025. Overall, Benson caught 81 passes for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns in three years in the NCAA. The Raiders WR group doesn't have any household names, so it could be a pretty open competition. Benson is worth keeping an eye on.

Running back Ashton Jeanty, last year's No. 6 pick, caught 55 passes for 346 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. Multiple people told me the team expects him to be a bigger part of the passing game this season.

Related players: Mike Washington Jr.

The story went on to say the Raiders say that Jeanty was a tough tackle in 2025 when they got him to the second level of the defense. They just don't feel as if they did a good enough job of getting him out in space. Rookie Washington Jr. is the player behind Jeanty, and the team likes him a lot, but it looks as if Las Vegas is planning for Jeanty's role to get only bigger. The team believes he's capable of much more. Including him more in the passing games makes sense since the Raiders O-line didn't do much to help Jeanty on the ground.

The Jaguars are feeling confident about Brian Thomas Jr. bouncing back. He has looked phenomenal since the spring, and when you watch him live, he's in a different class athletically than his teammates.

Related players: Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter

The story said Thomas will be the vertical threat. HC Liam Coen noted that QB Trevor Lawrence and Thomas connected more in the spring than they had in last year's camp and season. Coen added his routes the other day were "unreal." The story added the Jags don't have a true WR1 and Lawrence likes to look for Washington and Meyers on third downs, which was a trend last season as well, but BTJ could get back to his big-play ways this season and is so far looking the part.

Jalen Nailor and Tre Tucker are the top two wideouts in the room, but it's an open race for WR3. So far, the Raiders have given first-team reps to Dont'e Thornton Jr., Jack Bech and Malik Benson. The concern is, no one has stood out.

The story wen ton to say that during the team period, the majority of quarterback Kirk Cousins' targets have gone to tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, and his checkdowns to running back Ashton Jeanty. It's still early and someone could emerge at some point during camp, but for now, the wide receiver room continues to be a weak spot on the roster.

The Raiders signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to be their starter, and that’s exactly how he’s set to enter training camp.

“When we go out to practice tomorrow, Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback,” head coach Klint Kubiak told reporters in his Tuesday press conference. “He’s the guy. And he’s going to get a ton of reps. And he deserves them, because he’s played really good football.

“But I want Fernando Mendoza and I want Aiden O’Connell to push him.”

It seems like a lot would have to change between now and Sept. 13 for Mendoza to be Las Vegas’ QB1 when the club plays Miami in Week 1, the story went on to say. We've seen this play out before, though, and depending on how the Raiders season goes, and how Cousins plays, one can probably assume we'll see Mendoza at some point this season as the Raiders QB1.