The Las Vegas Raiders are heading into the 2026 NFL season with plenty of question marks, but one bright spot is generating serious buzz: second-year running back Ashton Jeanty. After a solid rookie campaign, ESPN's Ben Solak is predicting a breakout year for Jeanty, thanks in large part to new head coach Klint Kubiak's offensive schemes.

Jeanty, who rushed for 975 yards as a rookie—just 25 shy of the 1,000-yard mark—is poised to take a major leap in 2026. Solak highlights that Kubiak plans to deploy formations that will give Jeanty more carries with extra blockers on the field, a strategy that was notably lacking last season. Expect to see more "12 personnel" (one running back, two tight ends, two wide receivers) and "13 personnel" (one running back, three tight ends, one wide receiver), along with more under-center looks and the addition of fullback Connor Heyward via free agency.

"I'm excited for Jeanty's Year 2," Solak wrote. "I think the offense and the line will be better—would be tough to be worse!—and as such, I expect a much more productive season on a down-to-down basis."

The Raiders have made key moves to support their young back. They signed center Tyler Linderbaum, one of the NFL's best at his position, in free agency to bolster run blocking. They also drafted guard Trey Zuhn III with the No. 91 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. With an improved offensive line and more weapons in the passing game, Jeanty should find more room to operate, especially in play-action situations.

If Jeanty can find those holes, expect his yards-per-carry average to climb. The Raiders' offense is still a work in progress, but the pieces are in place for Jeanty to have a monster season. For Raiders fans, this could be the spark the team needs to turn heads in 2026.