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It has been an up-and-down rookie campaign for Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty has shown flashes of the elite prospect he was billed as coming out of college, but we’ve also seen some struggles, some of which are a result of the lackluster team around him.
Jeanty is off to a slow start in the Week 11 game against the Dallas Cowboys. Let’s take a closer look at what’s behind that.
UPDATE: You’re here because you’re wondering: what the hell is going on with Jeanty? The Raiders didn’t have him on the field for the final series of the first half, instead utilizing Raheem Mostert.
No, he isn’t injured. This is a regular occurrence on two-minute drills throughout the entire season, as the Raiders regularly pull him off the field in those situations.
Making matters worse, Jeanty only saw two carries in the first half, and he has two more catches than carries over the first two quarters.
It’s coaching malpractice, but this is what we’ve come to expect from offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who might be the most overrated play-caller on the planet.
END OF UPDATE
Yes, Jeanty has been on the field over the Raiders’ first three drives, but they simply aren’t utilizing him enough on the ground.
Jeanty has just one carry for -1 yards and two catches for one yard. That is simply not enough work on the ground for the rookie.
Hopefully the Raiders will remember they have him and will utilize him more moving forward.
Mike Moraitis is a freelance writer who covers the NFL for the Sporting News. Over his nearly two decades covering sports, Mike has also worked for Bleacher Report, USA TODAY and FanSided. He hates writing in the third person.