Ashton Jeanty Set for Christian McCaffrey Usage?

What They're Saying

Here’s more from Kubiak at OTAs.

"We want to put a lot of pressure on Ashton... I don't know the play snap percentage, but you look at Christian McCaffrey, his play snap percentage is high. So, those great backs, they don't want to come off the field."

Kubiak also noted the importance of having a strong RB2 while again hinting at a workhorse role for Jeanty.

"I've said it before: I think it's important to have a quality second back, but the best player has got to play, and [we've] got to get them on the field as much as we can.”

2026 Fantasy Football Impact

Jeanty said he’s spent part of the offseason watching film of Christian McCaffrey and Kenneth Walker, who’ve found success with the zone running scheme Kubiak likes. 

Jeanty ran behind plenty of zone blocking in 2025, with 63.2% of his attempts coming on zone concepts, per Fantasy Points. The results underwhelmed: 27th among 42 qualifiers in yards per carry and 40th in success rate. But the Raiders’ O-line dealt with major injury trouble, including just four games from LT Kolton Miller and eight from G Jackson Powers-Johnson. The Raiders also fired OC Chip Kelly after 11 games.

Miller and Powers-Johnson are back healthy for 2026. And C Tyler Linderbaum and G Spencer Burford add to an O-line that should improve its finish of 22nd in ESPN’s run-block win rate.

We’ll see how much the QB spot improves, because Kirk Cousins’ 2025 offered little reason for optimism. Two years removed from a torn right Achilles, he averaged only 6.4 yards per attempt and ranked 31st among 33 qualifiers in on-target throw rate. This offense could use a quick rise from first overall pick Fernando Mendoza, who appears likely to open the season as Cousins’ backup.

Overall, it’s an improved situation for Jeanty’s fantasy outlook. He projects as a top-five player in our PPR RB rankings, with his early best ball ADP indicating the 22-year-old is an average value.

Other Winners & Losers

Kubiak said back in February that "you don't want to put all the targets and carries on one guy." But it always made the most sense to lean into a young and ultra-talented RB who arrived as a top-10 pick.

That means rookie Mike Washington Jr. isn't in line for standalone fantasy value. But with a productive summer, he'll project as the No. 2 RB and a candidate for starter-level volume should Jeanty miss time. Washington's primary competition will come from Dylan Laube, Roman Hemby, and Chris Collier.

The rookie's likely spot behind Jeanty makes him worth a late-round pick in early drafts. He's the RB58 in best ball ADP.