Ashton Jeanty has been pretty terrible. He’s averaged over 3.3 per attempt in fewer than half of his games. But it’s tough to actually pull him from a lineup.
The rushing numbers have been pretty putrid. He ran for 138 yards against an awful Chicago defense, but otherwise he’s averaging only 45 rushing yards per game. And he’s averaging only 3.5 yards per carry.
In the 32-team era, there have been 38 running backs selected in the first round who carried the ball at least 100 times in their first season. Only two finished with lower YPC averages.
On the plus side, Christian McCaffrey wasn’t much better in his first season, but it’s worrying.
| FIRST-ROUND RUNNING BACKS (yards per carry) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Pick | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2007 | Adrian Peterson, Min. | 7 | 238 | 1341 | 5.6 | 12 |
| 2023 | Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. | 12 | 182 | 945 | 5.2 | 10 |
| 2021 | Travis Etienne, Jac. | 25 | 220 | 1125 | 5.1 | 5 |
| 2016 | Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 4 | 322 | 1631 | 5.1 | 15 |
| 2004 | Steven Jackson, St.L. | 24 | 134 | 673 | 5.0 | 4 |
| 2018 | Saquon Barkley, NYG | 2 | 261 | 1307 | 5.0 | 11 |
| 2008 | Chris Johnson, Ten. | 24 | 251 | 1228 | 4.9 | 9 |
| 2015 | Todd Gurley, St.L. | 10 | 229 | 1106 | 4.8 | 10 |
| 2006 | Joseph Addai, Ind. | 30 | 226 | 1081 | 4.8 | 7 |
| 2019 | Josh Jacobs, Oak. | 24 | 242 | 1150 | 4.8 | 7 |
| 2004 | Kevin Jones, Det. | 30 | 241 | 1133 | 4.7 | 5 |
| 2023 | Bijan Robinson, Atl. | 8 | 214 | 976 | 4.6 | 4 |
| 2012 | Doug Martin, T.B. | 31 | 319 | 1454 | 4.6 | 11 |
| 2008 | Jonathan Stewart, Car. | 13 | 184 | 836 | 4.5 | 10 |
| 2009 | Beanie Wells, Ari. | 31 | 176 | 793 | 4.5 | 7 |
| 2018 | Sony Michel, N.E. | 31 | 209 | 931 | 4.5 | 6 |
| 2020 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire, K.C. | 32 | 181 | 803 | 4.4 | 4 |
| 2008 | Darren McFadden, Oak. | 4 | 113 | 499 | 4.4 | 4 |
| 2005 | Ronnie Brown, Mia. | 2 | 207 | 907 | 4.4 | 4 |
| 2010 | Ryan Mathews, S.D. | 12 | 158 | 678 | 4.3 | 7 |
| 2006 | Laurence Maroney, N.E. | 21 | 175 | 745 | 4.3 | 6 |
| 2006 | DeAngelo Williams, Car. | 27 | 121 | 501 | 4.1 | 1 |
| 2005 | Cadillac Williams, T.B. | 5 | 290 | 1178 | 4.1 | 6 |
| 2007 | Marshawn Lynch, Buff. | 12 | 280 | 1115 | 4.0 | 7 |
| 2003 | Willis McGahee, Buff. | 23 | 284 | 1128 | 4.0 | 13 |
| 2021 | Najee Harris, Pitt. | 24 | 307 | 1200 | 3.9 | 7 |
| 2002 | T.J. Duckett, Atl. | 18 | 130 | 507 | 3.9 | 4 |
| 2011 | Mark Ingram, N.O. | 28 | 122 | 474 | 3.9 | 5 |
| 2017 | Leonard Fournette, Jac. | 4 | 268 | 1040 | 3.9 | 9 |
| 2009 | Knowshon Moreno, Den. | 12 | 247 | 947 | 3.8 | 7 |
| 2017 | Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 8 | 117 | 435 | 3.7 | 2 |
| 2002 | William Green, Cle. | 16 | 243 | 887 | 3.7 | 6 |
| 2006 | Reggie Bush, N.O. | 2 | 155 | 565 | 3.6 | 6 |
| 2012 | Trent Richardson, Cle. | 3 | 267 | 950 | 3.6 | 11 |
| 2025 | Ashton Jeanty, L.V. | 6 | 181 | 635 | 3.5 | 4 |
| 2015 | Melvin Gordon, S.D. | 15 | 184 | 641 | 3.5 | 0 |
| 2010 | Jahvid Best, Det. | 30 | 171 | 555 | 3.2 | 4 |
At the same time, the Raiders are at least using Jeanty a ton. And not only as a runner but a pass catcher. He’s caught 43 passes in his first 12 games, including 4 touchdowns.
Only five of those previously mentioned first-round running backs put up better receiving numbers in their first 12 games. (Using PPR scoring.) Only four rookie running backs period, in fact, have had better receiving numbers than Jeanty in their first 12 games (since 2002).
Those dumpoff catches give Jeanty a solid floor of production that makes him tough to dislodge from a fantasy lineup. To actually move him to a bench, a team would need to be well stocked at the position.
| ROOKIE RUNNING BACKS, RECEIVING (first 12 G) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | No | Yards | Avg | TD | PPR |
| 2018 | • Saquon Barkley, NYG | 74 | 602 | 8.1 | 4 | 158.2 |
| 2017 | Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 59 | 614 | 10.4 | 4 | 144.4 |
| 2017 | • Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 64 | 501 | 7.8 | 4 | 138.1 |
| 2006 | • Reggie Bush, N.O. | 73 | 562 | 7.7 | 1 | 135.2 |
| 2008 | Matt Forte, Chi. | 48 | 358 | 7.5 | 4 | 107.8 |
| 2021 | • Najee Harris, Pitt. | 57 | 387 | 6.8 | 2 | 107.7 |
| 2015 | Duke Johnson, Cle. | 48 | 440 | 9.2 | 2 | 104.0 |
| 2010 | • Jahvid Best, Det. | 50 | 407 | 8.1 | 1 | 96.7 |
| 2013 | Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 43 | 354 | 8.2 | 3 | 96.4 |
| 2025 | Ashton Jeanty, L.V. | 43 | 251 | 5.8 | 4 | 92.1 |
| 2018 | Nyheim Hines, Ind. | 49 | 298 | 6.1 | 2 | 90.8 |
| 2017 | Kareem Hunt, K.C. | 39 | 367 | 9.4 | 2 | 87.7 |
| 2020 | James Robinson, Jac. | 42 | 310 | 7.4 | 2 | 85.0 |
| 2012 | • Trent Richardson, Cle. | 44 | 339 | 7.7 | 1 | 83.9 |
| 2019 | Miles Sanders, Phil. | 32 | 359 | 11.2 | 2 | 79.9 |
| 2023 | • Bijan Robinson, Atl. | 35 | 266 | 7.6 | 3 | 79.6 |
| 2025 | RJ Harvey, Den. | 31 | 222 | 7.2 | 4 | 77.2 |
| 2006 | Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac. | 32 | 317 | 9.9 | 2 | 75.7 |
| 2017 | Tarik Cohen, Chi. | 39 | 306 | 7.8 | 1 | 75.6 |
—Ian Allan