The Las Vegas Raiders look like one of the most improved teams in the NFL after the offseason. Las Vegas added core players in the 2026 NFL Draft, headlined by QB Fernando Mendoza. As a result, one second-year Raiders star could be in for a breakout season later this fall.
ESPN's Ben Solak previewed a handful of second-year players ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Solak argued that Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty could be in for a breakout season this fall. He explained that Jeanty's circumstances in 2025 were historically bad.
“Here's some more historic context. Again since 2010, a running back has reached 100 carries in a season 737 times,” Solak wrote. “Ashton Jeanty's yards before contact last year (1.26) ranked 734th among them.”
Jeanty had a solid rookie campaign, logging 266 attempts for 975 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He fell short of his high expectations, but this yards before contact stat shows exactly why.
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Yards before contact attempts to isolate how well an offense sets up a running back for success. Jeanty did not get much help at all in 2025, earning an insane portion of his yardage after contact. That suggests that Jeanty could have a breakout season if Las Vegas simply improves the situation around him.
That's exactly what the Raiders did by adding Tyler Linderbaum during NFL free agency.
“I'm excited for Jeanty's Year 2. I think the offense and the line will be better (would be tough to be worse!), and as such, I expect a much more productive season on a down-to-down basis,” Solak concluded. “But I don't think a special season similar to the ones we've seen from recent early-drafted backs (Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs) is in the cards for Jeanty just yet.”
Hopefully Jeanty lives up to his huge expectations during his sophomore season.
The Las Vegas Raiders look like one of the most improved teams in the NFL after the offseason. Las Vegas added core players in the 2026 NFL Draft, headlined by QB Fernando Mendoza. As a result, one second-year Raiders star could be in for a breakout season later this fall. ESPN's Ben Solak previewed a handful of second-year players ahead of the 2026 NFL season.