Jeanty Has High Expectations in Las Vegas

Jeanty Has High Expectations in Las Vegas originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has already energized the Las Vegas Raiders offense, without even taking a snap. Former Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty joins a team that finished last in rushing last season, and expectations are sky-high.

Many project Jeanty to be “the engine” of a revamped Raiders offense, now led by veteran head coach Pete Carroll in his first year with the franchise. On Wednesday, fans got a glimpse of those expectations when Jeanty was ranked second in the Madden NFL 26 rookie ratings.

The official Madden NFL 26 Twitter account released the top 10 rookie ratings, placing Jeanty just behind Travis Hunter, the second overall pick in the draft.

The rookies are ready to make some noise!

Your official Top 10 list 👀#Madden26Ratingspic.twitter.com/A8ZlUYRELI

— Madden NFL 26 (@EAMaddenNFL) July 30, 2025

Jeanty's Madden Ranking in Context

Early projections had Jeanty rated 79, similar to other top non-quarterback rookies. However, his standout college resume high draft position bumped his final rating up to 83.

Playing With Ashton Jeanty on Madden 2026

Gamers using Jeanty in Madden 26 will get a powerful back with an elite college track record. He rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024 at Boise State, finishing as the Heisman runner-up.

Now, he joins a Chip Kelly-led offense alongside veteran quarterback Geno Smith. Zamir White is listed as the backup but isn't expected to take much of the workload. Jeanty is in line for a feature role right out of the gate.

Many projections have Jeanty over 1,300 scrimmage yards in his rookie campaign, and some Madden ratings analysts have already placed him in a "Tier-1" running back group with stars like Bijan Robinson and Saquon Barkley.

When Can Fans Play Cam Ward on Madden 2026?

EA Sports has confirmed Madden NFL 26 will release on Aug. 14 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 and Windows. Fans who pre-order the Deluxe or MVP Edition will get early access beginning Aug. 11.

When is Ashton Jeanty's First NFL Game?

The Raiders kick off the preseason on Aug. 7 on the road against the Seattle Seahawks. Their first home preseason game will be Aug. 16 against the San Francisco 49ers. The regular season begins on Sept. 7 with a matchup at Gillette Stadium against the New England Patriots.

Related: Cam Ward Fans Up in Arms Over Latest Rookie Rankings

Related: Cam Ward Faces Early Setback After WR Injury in Training Camp

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.