Should I Start Ashton Jeanty?

Sunday, August 30, 4:00 PM

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (ankle) was not placed on injured reserve prior to the 53-man roster deadline on Sunday, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic. Given that an IR stint carries a minimum four-game absence, the Raiders' decision to keep Jeanty on their 53-man roster suggests that he'll be able to play in some or all of the team's first four games this season. Whether he'll be able to play in Week 1 remains unclear, although the team has been quite optimistic about his availability. Nevertheless, fantasy managers will want to monitor his participation levels in practice leading up to Week 1. Managers should also monitor the Raiders' roster moves. They only have three running backs on their roster right now, so if they sign or claim another one, it could be a sign that Jeanty might not be ready to go. If he does suit up for the season opener, he'll rank as a strong RB1 option against a Miami Dolphins team that has plenty of question marks on both sides of the ball.