A Realistic Possibility for Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty

"Jeanty is the OROY favorite of the oddsmakers heading into training camp. It makes plenty of sense. First off, the guy trucked defenses for 2,601 rushing yards in 2024, second-most in a single season all time. We know Pete Carroll is going to want to pound the rock, and Jeanty, who carried the ball a whopping 374 times in his final college season, is no stranger to a heavy workload," Parr said.

"He was drafted to set the tone for the offense, and he figures to have an O-line that rates in the middle of the pack. Not great, but not a hindrance for a player as talented as Jeanty. Now, it’s become much harder for running backs to win OROY in the past decade. No running back has taken home the honor since Saquon Barkley in 2018.

Parr wisely noted that the Raiders likely plan to give Jeanty a healthy amount of carries throughout the season. While this gives him ample opportunity to win the OROY Award, the Raiders must be cautious not to overuse the rookie.

Las Vegas was the worst rushing team in the league last season but should gradually work Jeanty into their offensive game plan this upcoming season.

"Also, for as great as Jeanty is, he’s still human. At what point do all the carries take their toll and catch up to him? Even with those concerns, it’s not hard to envision a scenario where he’s the clear leader from start to finish, but the preseason favorite doesn’t usually end up on top," Parr said.

No matter how they do it, the Raiders must improve their ground game this upcoming season. Whether Jeanty is their every-down back, or the Raiders use all of their running backs, Las Vegas will not turn things around without getting their ground game going.

As the Raiders look to start anew under Carroll, they must find a way to overcome past struggles. Fortunately for the Raiders, they now have a roster to do so. While they will still have other issues that will arise, many of the Raiders' struggles over the past few seasons should be behind them.