Ashton Jeanty

Ashton Jeanty enters the 2026 fantasy football season as one of the safest high-end running back investments on the board. After a rookie year that produced 321 touches, 1,321 total yards, and RB15 fantasy output, he is being valued as a top-tier option again, with multiple current rankings placing him in the RB1 conversation and even inside the top five in some dynasty formats.

The appeal starts with volume. Jeanty handled a massive share of the Raiders’ offense as a rookie, ranking first in opportunity share and fifth in snap share, and he also showed enough receiving ability to matter in PPR formats. FantasyLife’s 2026 Raiders preview projects him as the RB9 with a low-end RB1 outlook, noting that he ranked second in rush share and seventh in target share last season, which is exactly the kind of usage profile that keeps a back fantasy-relevant even if the offense is only average.

The biggest reason for optimism is that Las Vegas appears to be building around him. The Raiders added Tyler Linderbaum at center and brought in Klint Kubiak at playcaller, both of which FantasyLife identifies as positive changes for the run game, while Brock Bowers remains a major threat to force defenses into honest coverage. The team’s current depth chart also shows Jeanty clearly ahead of Mike Washington, which reinforces that he should enter the year as the undisputed lead back.

The main caution is team environment rather than player talent. The Raiders still do not project as an elite scoring offense, and FantasyLife’s projection has Jeanty at 12.7 PPG with 226.8 projected fantasy points, which supports strong RB1 production but not necessarily an overall RB1 ceiling unless the touchdowns spike. Still, with no current injury concern listed and no offseason team change affecting him, Jeanty looks like a confident draft pick for managers who want a young workhorse with both floor and ceiling in 2026.

Updated 06/08/2026