The Las Vegas Raiders had the worst ground game in the NFL in 2024, rushing for an abysmal 79.8 yards per contest, and it just made things worse that they had to watch their former back, Josh Jacobs, rush for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first year with the Green Bay Packers.
After replacing their general manager and head coach this offseason, Las Vegas, once again, made their rushing attack a priority, as they used their first-round pick (No. 6 overall) on running back Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty, 21, spent the last three seasons at Boise State, earning First-team All-Mountain West and All-American honors twice. He also won Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year twice and was the runner-up to Colorado’s Travis Hunter for the Heisman Trophy this past year.
After rushing for a remarkable 4,769 yards and 50 touchdowns on 6.4 yards per carry and catching 80 passes for 862 yards and six more scores, Jeanty is entering the NFL with a ton of hype, but where does he rank among the top NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates?
BetMGM opened their 2025-26 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds with Jeanty as the co-favorite at +250. The running back was tied with first-overall pick and Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward.
Hunter is the only other rookie really close, as he’s +550 to win the award. Carolina Panthers wideout Tetairoa McMillan (+1,300) and Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (+1,500) round out the top five.
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If Jeanty stays healthy, he should have a great chance to take home the award. He’s playing in an offense that should give him plenty of opportunities to tote the rock. The last time that new Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly had his hands on an NFL offense, his San Francisco 49ers averaged 28.6 carries per game (sixth in the league in 2016).
Ward, Jeanty’s top competition for the honor, also hasn’t landed in the best situation for a rookie quarterback. He’ll have to deal with some questionable offensive linemen and a trio of wide receivers (Calvin Ridley, Van Jefferson and Tyler Lockett) that could be better. Not to mention Titans head coach Brian Callahan or offensive coordinator Nick Holz have yet to prove themselves in their position after a 3-14 first season in Tennessee.
Hunter could also compete for the award, but if he’s splitting time between offense and defense, it’s hard to imagine him picking up right where he left off at Colorado as one of the best wide receivers in the country.
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