Ashton Jeanty Cleared to Play for Raiders Against Patriots

Jeanty Cleared for Action

Ashton Jeanty will suit up for the Las Vegas Raiders in Sunday's matchup against the New England Patriots. The starting running back was previously listed as questionable because of ankle and foot issues.

Jeanty went through a pregame workout on the field at Gillette Stadium to test his readiness. Several key members of the Raiders organization watched the session from the sideline. General manager John Spytek, offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko, running backs coach Omar Young, and wellness coordinator Alex Guerrero all observed him before the team made the final call.

Practice Status and Roster Moves

Jeanty's availability was in doubt heading into Week 5. The running back has been dealing with an ankle injury suffered in late August along with a flare up of plantar fasciitis.

His practice participation dropped as the week went on. Jeanty was a full participant during Wednesday's practice, but he was limited on Thursday when the foot problem first appeared on the practice report. He was then sidelined completely for the final practice session before the Raiders traveled to Massachusetts.

As a precaution, the team brought up undrafted rookie running back Roman Hemby from the practice squad. With Jeanty ready to play, Hemby was placed on the inactive list ahead of kickoff.

Seeking Improved Efficiency

The Raiders are looking for better numbers from their starter to jumpstart their ground attack. Jeanty started the year on a strong note, rushing for 102 yards in the season opening win against the Miami Dolphins.

His efficiency has dropped off over the following weeks. Across his past three games, Jeanty has carried the ball 55 times for only 162 yards, which comes out to an average of 2.9 yards per attempt. He has managed just two carries of 10 or more yards across that entire span.

What it means for the next game

Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots (NFL, Sun, 11 Oct): New England Patriots win 60%, Las Vegas Raiders win 40%; projected score New England Patriots 25, Las Vegas Raiders 20. Our safest pick: Under 52.5 points.

Buffalo Bills at Las Vegas Raiders (NFL, Sun, 18 Oct): Las Vegas Raiders win 31%, Buffalo Bills win 69%; projected score Las Vegas Raiders 22, Buffalo Bills 28. Our safest pick: Bills to win.