The Las Vegas Raiders are still in pursuit of their elusive first preseason victory following a narrow defeat at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers this past weekend, with the scoreboard reading 22-19 to the disappointment of Raider fans. Yet despite the lack of a W, rookie sensation Ashton Jeanty left a lasting impression that surely sparked some optimism in the Raiders camp, as well as among eager fantasy football aficionados.
Selected sixth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, Jeanty's bone-rattling showcase against San Francisco highlighted why he's deemed a tantalizing asset, both on the field and in the virtual realm of fantasy sports. As reported by SI, the running back bulldozed his way to 33 yards on seven carries, crowned by a touchdown that underscored his knack for converting goal-line opportunities into six points. This performance was a drastic turnaround from a less than stellar debut, where he eked out a modest minus-1 yard on three carries against Seattle.
Not one to shy away from tough hits, Jeanty demonstrated the kind of resilience that Las Vegas had been banking on. He absorbed a punishing hit from 49ers linebacker Tatum Bethune – giving him a "shoulder stinger" – and still emerged from the tent to continue the game, later stating, "I didn’t go down," as per an interview obtained by AP News. It's this gritty determination that has the Raiders' quarterback Geno Smith and fantasy drafters alike buzzing with excitement. "Man, it fires me up seeing the way that he runs," Smith told AP News. "He’s running through people and he’s not shying away from contact."
Putting the preseason loss into perspective though, the overall team performance offered glimpses of a unit gelling together amid the anticipated setbacks. In particular, rookie quarterback Cam Miller's performance, underscored by an unfortunate interception, can be chalked up to growing pains which the team hopes will pay dividends down the line. On the special teams side, the game culminated in a dramatic 59-yard field goal by 49ers' kicker Jake Moody, a stunning blow that capped off the night's scoring and solidified the win for San Francisco.
In other notable developments from the game, several offensive players on the 49ers' side, including right guard Dominick Puni, exited with injuries, while the Raiders welcomed NFL legend Tom Brady, in his capacity as a minority owner. And despite setbacks, both teams look to rebound in their next preseason matches, San Francisco hosting the LA Chargers, and the Raiders, visiting Arizona on the following Saturday.
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