Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Las Vegas Raiders used the No. 6 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on running back Ashton Jeanty.
Sometimes, it doesn’t feel like they remember that.
Jeanty was super quiet in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.
The former Boise State star had some success as a pass catcher but just wasn’t getting carries.
Geno Smith had 32 dropbacks in the first half.
Jeanty had two carries.
Raiders first half:
32 Geno Smith dropbacks
2 Ashton Jeanty rushes
1 Raheem Mostert rush
MORE: Why Ashton Jeanty would’ve been ‘perfect fit’ for Cowboys
The Raiders are letting Smith take matters into his own hands, which only gets exacerbated by an early deficit.
It still is a bit of overkill. The Raiders ran more play-action passes than actual run plays.
The Vegas line has let Jeanty get hit in the backfield a lot this season, too. They obviously haven’t held up enough for him.
But it’s still inadvisable to go totally away from Jeanty like this. It’s just not playing the hand they have.
Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle