Ashton Jeanty is one of the most exciting players in the NFL even as a rookie. So why wasn’t he on the field for some key drives for the Raiders on Monday night?
The former sixth overall pick was surprisingly on the sidelines for drives towards the end of the first and second halves against the Chargers. In his stead was Zamir White and Dylan Laube.
It’s not the split Raiders fans or fantasy managers were hoping for. But there’s a few reasons why Jeanty was not on the field for those drives.
Why was Ashton Jeanty sidelined at the end of the game?
Ashton Jeanty ended with 11 carries for 43 yards on the ground. The Chargers jumped out to a 17-6 lead at halftime which encouraged the Raiders to abandon the run in the second half.
Regardless, Jeanty wasn’t on the field for the final two drives of the game when the Raiders tried to mount a comeback. Instead it was second-year running back Dylan Laube in the backfield for Las Vegas.
Head coach Pete Carroll was asked after the game about Jeanty’s usage and said they are “breaking him in.”
“We have to run the ball more effectively,” Carroll added.
Breaking in the rookie back is ironic the week after Jeanty toted the ball 19 times.
Our Mike Moraitis pointed out a rep in pass protection for Jeanty that could’ve landed him in hot water early.
Ashton Jeanty casually letting his QB get rocked. He’s not looking good in pass pro. #Chargers #Raiders pic.twitter.com/wxvJipdvP0
— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) September 16, 2025
The second-leading rusher for the Raiders was quarterback Geno Smith with 20 yards on five carries but it was still other backs taking reps away from the rookie sensation,
Who is Dylan Laube?
Dylan Laube was drafted in the 6th round, 208th overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024. He had 715 rushing yards, 699 receiving yards, and 18 touchdowns his senior season at New Hampshire.
He was mostly a special teamer and kick returner his rookie year, ending with three tackles and 164 return yards. He fumbled his only carry as a running back against the Pittsburgh Steelers in week six.
#Raiders RB Dylan Laube back at it after making the 53 🏴☠️
Special teams impact helped lock in his roster spot:
🏈 Led team in kickoff & punt return yards this preseason
🏈 Posted a team-high 3 special teams tackles
🏈 Versatility too valuable to leave off the rosterNow… pic.twitter.com/tUQlsV6Z5B
— Taylor Rocha (@TaylorRochaTV) August 28, 2025
Laube is third on the depth chart behind White and Jeanty but obviously the coaching staff wanted to see what he had in a two-minute drill situation.
Could Jeanty lose snaps to his backups in the near future? With the investment the Raiders have in him it’s unlikely but anything can happen.
