The Raiders selected Washington in the fourth round of the NFL Draft out of Arkansas, and he is expected to be the primary backup for Ashton Jeanty this season. Washington has delivered a steady drumbeat this offseason with strong performances in preseason games. If Jeanty's ankle sprain lingers into the 2026 season, Washington could be a late-round steal and is worth a late-round pick in all seasonal leagues and a second- or third-round pick in rookie-only drafts for Dynasty leagues. While the landing spot wasn't the most ideal for Washington given Jeanty's presence, new Raiders coach Klint Kubiak comes to Las Vegas from Seattle, where he was the offensive coordinator and used multiple running backs with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. But even after Washington had a great preseason debut with a monster run against the Cardinals, we don't expect Washington to have anywhere near the workload of either Seattle runner from last year. What's more likely is for Washington to get maybe eight low-value touches a week with the rest going to Jeanty as long as he's healthy. Washington is worth stashing in all leagues this season since he'll have lottery-ticket upside if Jeanty were to miss any time.
Fantasy News
Raiders' Mike Washington: Effective in preseason start
Rotowire
Washington rushed eight times for 49 yards and failed to bring in his only target in the Raiders' 18-12 preseason loss to the 49ers on Thursday.
Washington operated as the starting running back due to Ashton Jeanty (ankle) being sidelined and turned in an efficient performance. The rookie fourth-round pick set the tone for his night by quickly churning out 12 yards on the first two plays from scrimmage, and he added 13- and 11-yard gains on Las Vegas' second possession. Washington appears firmly entrenched as the No. 2 back to open the season, but he'd be teed up for a likely Week 1 starting assignment against the Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 13 if Jeanty is unable to suit up.
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Raiders' Mike Washington: Draws praise from coach
Rotowire
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said Tuesday that Washington has "done a great job of growing up real fast," Levi Edwards of the Raiders' official site reports.
Washington was selected by Las Vegas in the fourth round of April's NFL Draft and has already turned heads in the team's first two preseason games, rushing for 119 yards on 15 carries (7.9 YPC) while adding two catches on four targets for 18 yards. The rookie became a hot topic in the fantasy community this past weekend when Ashton Jeanty went down with an ankle injury during practice, though he's nursing a low-ankle sprain and isn't looking at a long-term absence. It appears Jeanty could be ready to face the Dolphins in Week 1, but if the 2025 first-round pick is held out of the regular-season opener, Washington would be the lead candidate to take over No. 1 RB duties for that contest.
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Raiders' Mike Washington: Sees extra work after Jeanty injury
Rotowire
Washington took most of the carries after Ashton Jeanty (knee) left Sunday's practice, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.
Washington has been getting rave reviews during the preseason, and the rookie -- who is followed by Dylan Laube, Dare Ogunbowale and Roman Hemby on the depth chart -- presumably will be the next players up should Jeanty miss any time. The extent of Jeanty's injury is not yet known, but the diagnosis will prove pivotal for fantasy players interested in drafting or who have already picked up either Raiders running back.
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Raiders' Mike Washington: Takes first-team reps after Jeanty exits practice
Rotowire
Washington took the rest of the first-team RB reps in Sunday's practice after Ashton Jeanty left the session early due to an apparent right knee injury, Ryan McFadden of ESPN reports.
The Raiders have yet to not provide any further details on the severity of Jeanty's injury, but if the 2025 first-rounder misses any time, Washington's fantasy stock would see a major bump. McFadden notes that Washington, who has had a strong training camp, was alternating starting reps with Jeanty before the injury occurred. Also in the team's backfield depth mix are Dylan Laube, Dare Ogunbowale and Roman Hemby.
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Raiders' Mike Washington: Produces another long run
Rotowire
Washington rushed nine times for 56 yards while catching two of three targets for 18 yards in Thursday's 22-20 preseason win over the Texans.
Washington has churned out an impressive 119 yards on 15 carries through two preseason games, averaging a robust 7.9 yards per carry thanks to a 56-yard run against the Cardinals in the previous game and a 33-yard run Thursday against the Texans. The rookie fourth-round pick out of Arkansas has shown nice burst in establishing himself as the favorite to back up Ashton Jeanty heading into Vegas' preseason finale against the 49ers next Thursday.
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Raiders' Mike Washington: Unofficial No. 2 back
Rotowire
Washington is listed as the No. 2 running back on the Raiders' unofficial depth chart, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.
Monday's unofficial depth chart shows that Washington has the edge for the backup role after training camp. The fourth-round rookie is competing with Dylan Laube, Dare Ogunbowale and Roman Hemby to serve as the main complementary option behind Ashton Jeanty. If Washington can continue to impress in practice and preseason, he may be a good fantasy handcuff to Jeanty in 2026. The presence of star center Tyler Linderbaum, who signed as a free agent this offseason, should also benefit any running backs that take snaps for the Raiders during the coming season.
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Raiders' Mike Washington: Goes to Las Vegas
Rotowire
The Raiders selected Washington in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 122nd overall.
Washington saw limited opportunities at Buffalo and New Mexico State, but he burst onto the scene during his fifth and final year in college at Arkansas. He was named to the All-SEC Second-Team in 2025 after turning 167 carries into 1,070 yards (6.40 YPC) and eight touchdowns while adding 28 catches for 226 yards and a score across 12 games. Washington is a big back with a 6-foot-1, 223-pound frame that he used to full effect as a punishing, downhill runner, which should lead to a fair amount of touches on early downs. Ashton Jeanty is still the lead back for the Raiders, but Washington seemingly brings the thunder to the team's backfield that complements the lightning of Jeanty.
