May 21, 2026, 11:39 AM ET

Talent-wise, Mike Washington Jr. is one of the most talented backs from the 2026 draft class. Washington posted a perfect Relative Athletic Score after the 223-pound back ran a 4.33 40-time and sported a 39" vertical. Klint Kubiak said all along they wanted a second running back in Las Vegas to push Ashton Jeanty and to help alleviate some of the workload. Considering the Raiders had one of the worst offensive lines last season, it's not a terrible idea to add another option in the backfield. How bad were the Raiders' offensive line woes? Ashton Jeanty had 975 rushing yards after contact, which would end up being 65% of his total rushing yardage during his rookie season. While all the coach talk suggests that Washington has standalone value as a possible flex option for fantasy managers, Washington will not be a league winner unless Jeanty misses significant time. While Washington did churn out 1,070 rushing yards at Arkansas last season, he also caught 28 passes for 226 receiving yards, which shouldn't be lost here. Last season, when Kirk Cousins was under center, Cousins 11.2% check down rate was the fifth-highest. Considering the state of the Raiders' wide receiver room, checking down the ball to Washington as a change of pace option could make the Raiders' fifth-worst passing attack from a season ago look better on paper.--Matt Donnelly