Rex Ryan rips Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty, who takes backseat role against Jets - USA Today

The lack of production from the Las Vegas Raiders' run game during the 2026 season falls on the entire offensive unit and first-year head coach Klint Kubiak, along with his staff.

But the rushing woes have magnified the plight of one specific player: Raiders' running back Ashton Jeanty, in his second season of pro ball after Las Vegas selected him sixth overall in the 2025 draft.

The Raiders (4-4) entered the Week 8 matchup against the New York Jets – a 39-33 road victory to snap a four-game losing streak – ranked 31st in rushing yards per game (74.7) and 31st in yards per rush, a category they were also ranked last in a season ago. The Raiders handed center Tyler Linderbaum the richest contract in the history of the position (three years, $81 million) to help bolster a lackluster offensive line.

Jeanty was averaging 3.1 yards per carry entering the game against the Jets – down from his rookie-year mark of 3.7.

However, Jeanty saw the matchup as an opportunity to get the run game back on track, however. He also took a shot at the Jets defense in the process.

"I think we can definitely get the run game going," Jeanty told reporters. "Get back on track. … A couple guys out there that don't really want to tackle, but I'm not going to say names."

Former Jets head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan took plenty of offense to the comments and aired his grievances on "Sunday NFL Coundown."

"Why? Because you are horrible. You're about the worst draft pick of the last 20 years, I think, as a running back," Ryan said. "You stink. You're averaging 3.1 yards per carry. ... It's on you, my friend.

"This kid right here? He's not as good as the backup. And he's running his mouth? They've lost four games in a row. They haven't won in a month and he's running his mouth."

Jeanty's comments may not have sat well within his own locker room. He had one carry in the first half (for one yard) and caught one pass. Running back Mike Washington carried 25 times for 83 yards after a slow start. Jeanty had two carries but three catches for 64 yards.

Kubiak said that Jeanty's lack of carries did not affect his backfield usage. Washington was often on the field during early downs, while Jeanty would enter for third downs. Kubiak noted Jeanty's 45-yard catch-and-run to set up a Raiders touchdown in the second half.

“He’s going to be a huge part of our run game moving forward," Kubiak told reporters after the game. "We just wanted to give Mike a few more opportunities today. And I think both of those guys are going to be huge parts of our rushing and passing success moving forward.

"I thought Mike did a good job, ran hard. I thought we took a step forward in that aspect of our game. It’s something that’s not a finished product.

"I think we just got to look at the film. We know we have two runners that we believe in."