Ashton Jeanty remains a top-tier option among AFC West running backs, even after a tough rookie start

As the AFC West turns its attention to the 2026 season, one storyline keeps resurfacing in position-by-position evaluations: even when expectations cool after a rough rookie year, Ashton Jeanty’s standing as an impact running back has not slipped far from the top tier. A ranking of the division’s running backs places Jeanty toward the top, framing him as a key piece in a backfield group that has been in flux.

The context matters because the AFC West did not have a traditional 1,000-yard rushing moment across the board last season. That broader production gap is the backdrop for why these rankings carry extra weight. When no team in the division reaches the 1,000-yard mark, the hierarchy becomes less about past output and more about projected roles, explosive potential, and how quickly a running back can earn consistent touches as play-calling adapts.

According to the Yahoo Sports breakdown, the Raiders’ ranking process begins by moving on from a previous round of quarterback evaluations and focusing on running backs to gauge where Las Vegas stands relative to the rest of the division. Within that framing, Jeanty is described as still among the most notable backs in the AFC West, despite the fact the article characterizes his rookie season as disappointing. The point is not that his early NFL production matched his ceiling, but that his overall profile continues to rate him highly in a division where standout rushing seasons have been scarce.

Jeanty’s name also shows up in the broader “newcomer” argument that the piece makes about how quickly the pecking order can change. The article describes an incoming factor that has shaken the list below, reinforcing that AFC West roster building is not static. In practice, that means the running-back room is not just about who had the best numbers a year ago. It is about who is positioned to be the kind of weekly solution that forces defenses to adjust immediately, which tends to show up in both run-game and play-action efficiency.

For Las Vegas, that matters because the Raiders’ internal planning for 2026 is shaped by whether Jeanty can operate as a consistent focal point rather than a talent that occasionally breaks through. A running back ranked near the top of a division with multiple established offenses indicates that the Raiders view him as more than depth. In a division where last season’s absence of a 1,000-yard rusher highlights the volatility of rushing production, the team’s ability to stabilize the ground game would be a major lever for sustaining drives and controlling game tempo.

For the rest of the AFC West, the ranking functions as a reminder that Jeanty’s presence changes how teams defend the run. When a running back is viewed as a top-tier option within the division, it tends to ripple through defensive planning: linebackers must hold their run fits, safeties weigh their risk on outside runs, and cornerbacks often see more run-action pressure that influences coverage structure.

What to watch next is whether Jeanty can convert the “still toward the top” assessment into a production season that restores the Raiders to a more threatening rushing profile. The article’s own framing suggests the ceiling is still there even if the first year did not deliver. The offseason ranking will be tested by training-camp utilization and, once the regular season begins, by whether Jeanty becomes the type of back who consistently turns favorable boxes into chunk yardage rather than occasional bursts. Until then, the key takeaway is straightforward: in a division that struggled to produce a 1,000-yard rusher across the board last year, Jeanty remains one of the most credible answers in the running-back conversation.