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Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington are set up to Fail in Week 9
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- Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington are set up to Fail in Week 9
With Ashton Jeanty's benching, the Raiders' backfield is in flux. But Jeanty and Mike Washington are set up to fail against the 49ers.
In Week 8, Klint Kubiak decided to make a big change. Washington took over as the lead back, handling 25 carries, while Jeanty was the passing-down back and received just two carries. Since, Kubiak has suggested the running back rotation could change on a week-to-week basis.
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This week, neither running back is going to find an easy path against one of the NFL's best defenses. The 49ers rank top five in points allowed and yards per play. San Francisco's run defense is what really shines.
The 49ers are allowing 3.5 yards per carry, second best in the NFL, and have surrendered just three rushing touchdowns, the lowest mark in the NFL. Overall, San Francisco's run defense ranks 1st in expected points added. It is tough to run on San Francisco.
Meanwhile, the Raiders offense ranks 31st in yards per carry at 3. And 31st in rushing touchdowns. Las Vegas ranks 30th in expected points added when running the ball. Even without playing the best rushing defense in the NFL, the Raiders have struggled to find any room on the ground.
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Jeanty and Washington are looking at their toughest test of the season.
The Raiders' offensive line has been a disaster in the running game. Trey Zuhn started at right guard in Week 8; he is the third different player Kubiak has tried at that position. Spencer Burford has been the unchallenged left guard all season, despite performing like one of the worst guards in the league. Even high-priced center Tyler Linderbaum has struggled in run blocking.
There will be plenty of eyes on the Raiders' backfield in Week 9. It seems unlikely Washington would handle 23 more carries than Jeanty in another game. But the Raiders might not even have 25 rushes in this game.
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If Las Vegas is playing catch up all night, the passing game will certainly take over. Plus, the 49ers' pass defense is not quite as dominant as the run defense. So the most likely place for Las Vegas to find offensive success is through the air.
Regardless of how the game plays out, the running game will likely struggle, leading to another week of debate and controversy surrounding Jeanty and Washington.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
