Will Raiders rookie RB Mike Washington Jr. put up numbers in 2026?

Mike Washington Jr was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The rookie out of Arkansas is in line to be the Raiders' secondary running back next season, which will present him with opportunities to be an impactful part of the offense.

Las Vegas had a one-sided distribution of carries in 2026. Ashton Jeanty received 266 of the Raiders' 369 rushing attempts last season. Raheem Mostert received the second-most carries among all Raiders running backs with 22.

Jeanty is a hungry mouth to feed. He was at the doorstep of rushing for 1,000 yards in 2025 as a rookie. He finished the season with 975 rushing yards. More of the same is to be expected for Jeanty in 2026. The Raiders' 369 rushing attempts as a team were second-fewest in the league last season.

Las Vegas should create more opportunities in their offense specifically for Washington next season. The Arkansas product will also inherit the 34 carries that Mostert and Zamir White combined for last season.

It's reasonable to envision the Raiders running the ball north of 430 times next season. Washington has the size, shiftiness and speed to average 4.3 yards per carry in 2026. Washington projects to go for 381 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 88 carries next season.

Washington averaged five yards per carry throughout his five years in college. Adjusting to NFL defenses will present its challenges for the New York native. However, the Raiders signed C to upgrade an offensive line that held Jeanty to a meager 3.7 yards per carry in 2025. That and the some better coaching should help create holes up the middle for Washington Jr. to exploit.