The sigh of relief out of Las Vegas on Thursday echoed through a fanbase watching their star running back limp off the practice field less than three weeks ago, only to hear him now say the ankle feels "really good."
Ashton Jeanty is "super excited" to play Sunday and expects to be in uniform for the Raiders' season opener against the Miami Dolphins. For a team with a thin margin for error, that is welcome news indeed.
Yet while Jeanty's availability clears one hurdle, it barely scratches the surface of the bigger offensive concerns facing Las Vegas. The online consensus is simple: the star running back is fine, the offense is whole again. But those two facts are far from interchangeable.
Jeanty is a 2025 first-round pick, sixth overall, entering his second NFL season. His rookie campaign carried a heavy workload, with 266 carries for 975 rushing yards and five touchdowns, along with 55 receptions for 346 yards over 17 games. That's roughly 21 touches per game -- fitting for a workhorse back on a team lacking depth behind him.
But the Raiders' backfield depth remains thin entering 2026. Behind Jeanty are Mike Washington Jr., a 2026 fourth-round rookie from Arkansas, Dylan Laube, who saw limited action last year with seven carries for nine yards, and Dare Ogunbowale, a veteran presence with nine years of experience but no significant recent usage with the team. This group isn't built for a heavy early-season workload if Jeanty's ankle isn't fully sound.
In this context, the positive injury report paradoxically masks a looming risk: the Raiders will likely lean on Jeanty more than they should Sunday simply because they have few reliable alternatives. Relying heavily on a running back recovering from an ankle injury in Week 1 opens the door to aggravating that injury and jeopardizing his season.
You might point out that Miami's run defense was among the more generous in the league last season. While specific 2025 metrics aren't at hand, the Raiders' offensive structure gestures heavily toward a Jeanty-dependent game plan. Head coach Klint Kubiak oversees a quarterback room in flux, a receiver corps that lost its most productive 2025 target in Tre Tucker (57 catches, 696 yards, 5 TD), and a tight end group stocked with Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer--two bright spots in the receiving corps.
The path of least resistance Sunday appears clear: hand the ball to Jeanty frequently, feed Bowers in the passing game, and repeat.
But this is also a trap.
When asked about the running back situation, Kubiak said, "We're expecting to have all our guys ready for Sunday." Coaches often say that, but more telling was his follow-up: "It's going to be a four-quarter game." That phrase resonates considering the Raiders' recent history of late-game fadeouts and the challenges a rookie-heavy roster faces sustaining full-speed intensity over 60 minutes.
The Dolphins are also in transition, but that works both ways. This contest is not one the Raiders can afford to lose by predictability.
If Jeanty becomes the entire offensive plan, Miami will load the box. Then the Raiders' quarterbacks--be it Aidan O'Connell, Kirk Cousins, or another signal-caller--could find themselves facing third-and-long repeatedly. Such a scenario tests not only the offense but Jeanty's ankle on a short turnaround leading into division play.
Kubiak himself alluded to this challenge, saying: "Everyone's going to get targets. We've got to spread the ball around to be successful." It's not a problem with Jeanty; it's the solution to leaning too heavily on him.
The contrarian takeaway? Jeanty's health to play is not an assurance the Raiders' offense will flourish with him as a workhorse. Rather, it puts the onus on the team to prove they can win without him carrying 25-plus times. That subtle but critical distinction will shape their season.
My projection: Jeanty will finish Sunday with fewer than 20 carries. The Raiders will attempt over 35 passes, daring Miami to stop the pass and challenge the offense's depth. If I'm right, the story Monday will focus less on Jeanty's ankle and more on the offense's ability to sustain itself beyond the running back. If Jeanty touches the ball 22-plus times, it could be a good Week 1 result but a red flag over the long haul.
One more wrinkle is worth flagging: Jeanty's ankle isn't the only injury concern looming over this roster. The Raiders currently carry $57.91 million in dead money against their salary cap, with just $2.99 million in available space according to Over the Cap. That financial configuration leaves scant flexibility to add a veteran backup if Jeanty's ankle flares up. In other words, the team relies heavily on its young core staying healthy and available. Jeanty is the focal point of that core.
At +15000 odds to win the Super Bowl at DraftKings, the Raiders are long shots. That figure reflects the skepticism about their roster and depth. What really matters starting Sunday is whether they can navigate September with a healthy and functioning offense.
Jeanty's ankle passing the test is a positive, but it is not the same as the team passing its test. Don't confuse the two.
