Is Ashton Jeanty Worth the Hype?
Ashton Jeanty has emerged as a notable prospect in fantasy football, showcasing impressive skills and potential for significant production. His ability to contribute both in the running and passing game makes him a versatile asset, particularly in PPR formats. Fantasy players should consider him a valuable addition to their rosters, especially if he secures a prominent role in his team's offense.
Ashton Jeanty is one of the most anticipated running back prospects that we have seen this century. After finishing second in Heisman voting to Travis Hunter this past college season, Jeanty was selected 6th overall by the Las Vegas Raiders. Currently, he holds an ADP of 11.9. As a result, this undoubtedly begs the question: Is it worth investing a late first or early second round pick in a guy who has yet to take a single NFL snap? Fortunately, there is historical data that can answer this question.
Ashton Jeanty
RB • LV
SEASONAL STATS
📈 2025 Season Projections
PPR Points
273.4
Rush Attempts
270
Rush Yards
1215
Rush TDs
9
Receptions
50
Receiving Yards
379
Let’s first look at who Ashton Jeanty most reminds us of coming out of college. For recency purposes, let’s focus on two guys specifically: Bijan Robinson and Saquon Barkley.
Bijan Robinson currently holds an ADP of 3.3. However, it is not this current year that we’re interested in. Instead, let’s go back two seasons to 2023 when Robinson was selected by the Falcons with the 8th overall pick. He had an ADP of exactly 8.0 and was a clear first round selection in most fantasy leagues. Despite some inconsistent play throughout the course of that year, due in part to what can only be described as a shaky at best QB situation for the 2023 Falcons, Robinson finished the year as RB9. This certainly wasn’t the high flying season that managers had hoped for, but finishing within the top 10 RBs in the league is nothing to scoff at.
Next let’s look at Saquon Barkley. Barkley was selected with the 2nd overall pick by the Giants in 2018, and he more than lived up to the hype. Drafted that year with an ADP of 6.6, Barkley turned in an RB1 overall performance, and ended up being the consensus number one pick heading into 2019. Despite the Giants’ poor offensive line, Barkley showed that his unreal college numbers could translate to the NFL, amassing over 2000 yards from scrimmage and 15 TDs.
Finally, it’s imperative to ask: What kind of situation does Ashton Jeanty find himself in? The talent is there. That's undeniable. His final year at Boise State saw him rush for over 2600 yards and 29 TDs. However, seeing how he fits in the Raiders offense is crucial to determining whether or not he’s worth being selected at his current ADP. Simply put, Jeanty finds himself in an ideal spot. When the Raiders hired Pete Carroll this past January, it became evident that this team was going to be all about running the football. In his recent time in Seattle, Carroll produced some of the best fantasy running backs in the league. Marshawn Lynch and Kenneth Walker are obvious names. But even guys who don’t come close to Beast Mode and Walker’s talent level such as Chris Carson and Thomas Rawls, had their own share of elite fantasy finishes. Additionally, Jeanty faces essentially no competition for shared reps or vultured touchdowns given that the current RB2 on the Raiders’ depth chart is Raheem Mostert. This, combined with an offensive line, which is slated to be dramatically improved from last season, bode very well for Jeanty’s fantasy projections.
Overall, Ashton Jeanty’s fit in this Raiders offense, combined with the historical data from other similar running backs, suggests that he is absolutely worthy of a first round fantasy selection. Based on these trends, don’t be surprised to see Jeanty with a top 5 ADP going into 2026.
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