The NFL season is quickly approaching, and fantasy drafts are in full swing. At DraftKings, you can play an array of different season-long fantasy contests.
This is a look at the fantasy value of all the players in the Las Vegas Raiders’ backfield.
Las Vegas Raiders Backfield
There is a new era of Raiders football underway. A minority ownership group led by Tom Brady purchased a stake in the team over the past year. Additionally, the front office hired Pete Carroll as head coach and Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, signed Geno Smith at quarterback and drafted Ashton Jeanty in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. This team and organization will look completely different from how it did to start last season, and Raiders fans are hoping that translates to wins.
Carroll has coached some fantastic teams over the years, Kelly just won a national title as the Ohio State offensive coordinator and Smith ranked fourth in the NFL in passing yards last season. This offense should be an exciting one to watch with breakout star Brock Bowers at tight end and Jeanty at running back.
Jeanty has the potential to be a generational running back talent. From 2022-2024, Jeanty rushed for 4,767 yards at Boise State. The next best player over that stretch rushed for 3,789 yards, nearly 1,000 less than Jeanty. He finished second in Heisman Trophy voting only behind the once-in-a-lifetime season that Travis Hunter had in 2024.
The Raiders drafted Jeanty sixth overall, the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley in 2018. He is prepared to be the bellcow that leads this Raiders team in rushing this season. Jeanty is more than capable of being one of the best running backs in football this season, and Kelly should find unique ways to him involved in the offense. Behind Jeanty, the veteran Raheem Mostert will be the RB2.
Running Back Handcuff: Raheem Mostert
Last season, the Raiders had the worst running game in the NFL. They ranked dead last in EPA/rush and rushing success rate. Their leading rusher was Alexander Mattison with 420 rushing yards. Ameer Abdullah backed him up and finished with 311 rushing yards. They desperately needed a new running back, which is where Jeanty slots in.
Jeanty will be the main man, but Mostert was a great signing as a backup. He is a veteran presence that should provide good leadership and guidance for Jeanty. In Mostert’s first two seasons in the league, he played for five teams and had a total of one carry in regular-season action. He carved out a role in San Francisco, also thanks to some injury luck, and had a breakout 2019 season where he rushed for over 700 yards. He was then the primary back in Miami, rushing for over 1,000 yards in 2023.
Last season, De’Von Achane had an amazing season in Miami and reduced Mostert’s role to a clear backup. That will be his role again here in Las Vegas, and he should be solid in that role. Jeanty will get a large majority of the carries and can be used in the passing game and at the goal line. That means, as long as Jeanty is healthy, there isn’t much viability to Mostert as a fantasy option. However, if Jeanty gets injured, Mostert would likely be given the RB1 role. So, if you are looking for a handcuff for Jeanty, Mostert is the clear choice.
