Raiders star and former number six overall pick Ashton Jeanty seems to have avoided what was initially thought to be a possible season-ending injury after the running back landed awkwardly on his ankle.

New injury reports say he has a sprained ankle, a much better diagnosis that isn’t considered a long-term injury.

The injury came at practice, and when he exited, fans worried about the young star’s health, with the season just weeks away.

Jeanty is a bright spot for a struggling Raiders squad’s future. With the recent acquisition of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza via the number one overall pick, the Raiders hope that a connection can form between the two. A powerful quarterback/running back tandem could be exactly what the Raiders need to form an identity, which they have lacked since the days of Derek Carr.

Starters for the Raiders have been in and out at almost all positions. They have only picked up one winning season since 2016 and are now on their 6th coach in that time. Former Super Bowl champion Pete Carroll begins his second year at the helm after a 4-13 record in his first year with the team. Jeanty had a solid rookie year, falling just shy of 1,000 yards, finishing with 975 on 266 carries.

Even though the news is somewhat better than expected, the Raiders still don’t know how much time he will miss. Even a few weeks out would be a big hit for the Raiders, who lack depth at the position. Rookie Mike Washington Jr. would be the next man up, who has played this preseason but has only gotten nine carries for 56 yards.

The Raiders open up their season in just 20 days against the Miami Dolphins. Jeanty has yet to be ruled out for that game, but that could change as more information comes in.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected running back Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday. It wasn’t a surprising selection.

A running back going in the top ten is uncommon, particularly in recent years, as their relative positional value has declined. When the Atlanta Falcons selected Bijan Robinson eighth overall in 2023, the fan reaction was excitement mixed with skepticism. Why, then, was it so certain that Jeanty would go two spots earlier?

Well, for one, new Raiders general manager John Spytek‘s son warned him he would “walk out of the family” if the team didn’t take Jeanty.

It was a joking comment, but it represents how special Jeanty is as a player. In three years at Boise State, Jeanty put up 4,769 rushing yards, including a massive 2,601 in 2024, where he also rushed for 29 touchdowns. And it wasn’t about the quality of his opponents, either; Jeanty gashed then-first-ranked Oregon for 192 yards and three touchdowns in September. If you’re on social media at all, you’ve seen the seemingly endless compilations of Jeanty breaking tackles – he just doesn’t seem to go down.

At Boise State, Jeanty demonstrated that he could carry an offense. The Broncos went 12-2, including 7-0 in conference, and made the playoffs.

Now, as a rookie in an offense that also features pieces like Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, Jeanty won’t have to do quite as much heavy lifting. Still, at No. 6, the Raiders will expect him to start Week 1.

“[Jeanty’s] ability to make plays when it doesn’t look like there’s [anything] there, Marshawn did that throughout his career,” said new head coach Pete Carroll. “There’s a special makeup in Ashton.”

“I’m always looking for special qualities, unique things that they’re able to do with their vision, body control, toughness and speed. [Jeanty] is not a guy that’s going to just run into the wall. He’s going to find his way for the most space available with his marvelous creativity.”

The Raiders, who averaged a league-low 3.6 yards per rush last season, have revamped their offense, from the head coach to the general manager to the quarterback. Mark Davis, the team’s owner, emphasized their “win-now” mentality.

As far as revamping the running game goes, Jeanty isn’t a bad place to start.