Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or Ashton Jeanty

Sunday, July 19, 8:36 AM

As a rookie in 2025, Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty finished as the RB13 despite averaging only 3.7 yards per carry while working behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league. With left tackle Kolton Miller expected back at full health after playing in only four games last season and the team spending big to acquire free agent center Tyler Linderbaum, Jeanty should see a drastic improvement from the abysmal 0.6 yards before contact that he averaged on his 2025 carries. And while new head coach Klint Kubiak spent much of the early offseason espousing the values of a split backfield, the team's actions have done little to suggest that Jeanty's fantasy-friendly volume is in any real jeopardy. The team spent a Day 3 pick on running back Mike Washington Jr., and Vegas does not have a wide receiver on the roster who has ever caught more than 57 passes in a season. For reference, Jeanty caught 55 of his 68 targets as a rookie, and with only tight end Brock Bowers locked in for a healthy pass-catching role ahead of him, he could threaten for triple-digit targets in year two. With better cohesion in 2026, the Raiders offense has the potential to rise to a level just around league-average, and in such a scenario, Jeanty has the bell cow abilities to deliver a league-winning season as RotoBaller's RB7.