The Las Vegas Raiders will travel to take on the New England Patriots in Week 1. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, specifically regarding RB Ashton Jeanty.
Is Ashton Jeanty Playing in Week 1?
Jeanty is not listed on the injury report this week, so barring any setbacks, he will play.
We’ll continue to monitor the Raiders’ injury report leading up to kickoff for any changes. You can also visit and bookmark our Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Ashton Jeanty in Week 1?
Giddy up!
If you spent a high draft pick on the pride of Boise State, now is the time to see if you have hit the lottery. It is reasonable to think that, entering the 2025-26 season, the only people who want Ashton Jeanty to handle more work than fantasy managers are the Las Vegas Raiders coaching staff.
This would help them justify using the sixth overall pick on him. Against the fifth-worst goal-to-go defense from the 2024-25 season, all of that volume should result in a fantasy bonanza on Sunday.
What Makes Jeanty a High-Upside Fantasy Play?
While it is fair to label Jeanty as a unique prospect with rare upside, the historical data paints a picture of a high-floor, high-ceiling profile. If you isolate the running backs who walked into high-usage roles in their NFL debut since 2000, the results are compelling.
From 2000 to 2024, rookie running back fantasy production in their first game, broken down by usage, looks like this:
- 25+ touches: 17.8 points per game (over 19.5 fantasy points in half of those instances)
- 20-24 touches: 16.7 points per game (this includes Kareem Hunt’s 45.6-point outburst in 2017)
- 15-19 touches: 11.2 points per game
In nearly a quarter of those games (23.2%), a player getting at least 15 touches in his professional debut has cleared 20 PPR points. That is an impressive rate, especially when you consider that names like Keith Ford, Deji Karim, and Nick Goings met the touch threshold for inclusion.
Asking Jeanty to clear 20 touches and average more than a point per touch is far from unreasonable before the Raiders take their act to prime time next week in a divisional home game on Monday night.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 1 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em article.
Ashton Jeanty’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 1
Jeanty is projected to score 17 points in PPR formats. This includes 92.7 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 0.8 receptions for 4.9 receiving yards, and 0 receiving touchdowns.
Check out the free PFSN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Week 1 Weather Impact: Raiders at Patriots
Weather conditions should be favorable for this outdoor matchup with temperatures at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and light winds of 10 mph.
