Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty has yet to return to full practice since suffering his ankle sprain, and the team won't commit to him being ready for the regular-season opener. But HC Klint Kubiak said "yes" (and smiled) Wednesday when asked whether he's optimistic for Jeanty's chances of playing against Miami.
What They're Saying: Not Much ... Yet
Kubiak: "He's continuing to improve. You guys saw him out there yesterday. He's still on the mend."
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Secure Week 1 Insurance Behind Jeanty
The Raiders don't play until 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday of Week 1, so we'll get normal injury reports leading up to the weekend. That should provide a better gauge of Jeanty's progress than vague coach answers.
We'll obviously have to watch that to see how viable a Week 1 starter the Raiders' lead back will be. If you haven't drafted yet, that Week 1 uncertainty shouldn't significantly alter where you consider Jeanty. At the least, he appears on track to be ready for Week 2.
That said, if you do draft Jeanty -- or already did -- just make sure you have an insurance option. It's possible he's ready to play but still a poor bet for full playing time and thus a risky start.
Vegas heads into the opener as a home favorite over the Dolphins, at least. That points to favorable game conditions for whichever of the Raiders RBs gets the ball.
