The Raiders have drafted a running back in consecutive seasons, with Ashton Jeanty in 2025 and Mike Washington in 2026. But the voice asking for each running back has been different.
The backfield in Las Vegas could cause some tension between general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak.
In 2025 the Raiders made a bold choice to pick Ashton Jeanty at sixth overall. Las Vegas' roster was filled with problems and taking a running back did very little to help improve the team.
The Raiders went 3-14 in Jeanty's first season. Despite getting the seventh-most carries in the NFL, Jeanty didn't top 1,000 rushing yards. He was incredibly inefficient, which stems from the roster problems.
The offensive line allowed the most sacks in the NFL and was a key reason for Jeanty's putrid 3.7 yards per carry mark. By taking Jeanty, the Raiders made a luxury pick when the foundation was not set.
Spytek, who was responsible for the Jeanty pick , wants to prove he was right. The only way to do that is if Jeanty performs like one of the best running backs in the NFL. Spytek needs Jeanty to be a workhorse.
This is where Mike Washington could present conflict in the Raiders' power structure. Las Vegas used a fourth-round pick on Washington in the 2026 draft. Spytek made sure everyone knows Kubiak wanted Washington.
"I'll give coach (Klint) Kubiak a lot of credit for this one," Spytek told the media last week. "He stood on a table for that kid at the start of day three. This is the perfect scheme fit. We can make this player into a good player. He has what we're looking for."
Washington ran for 168 yards in the preseason while averaging over seven yards per carry. He has impressed and could be looking at a bigger role than expected since Jeanty is dealing with an ankle injury.
Looking back to last season, Kubiak implemented a timeshare at the running back position with Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet in Seattle. Washington's preseason performance, Jeanty's injury and Kubiak's recent past could lead to a split backfield.
Any sort of reduction in touches for Jeanty will be a bad look for Spytek.
It was his first time in charge of a draft, and he chose a running back in the first round. The team followed it up by posting the worst record in the NFL. Spytek needs Jeanty to look good to justify his pick.
But his head coach loves the backup running back and now has a legitimate reason to limit Jeanty's carries to start the season.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
