Are Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers Worth Early Fantasy Football Picks? Who Else on the Raiders could Shine in 2025?

Let's go over another fantasy football outlook, this time looking at the Las Vegas Raiders.

We have covered the Steelers, Packers, Titans, Panthers, Chiefs, Falcons, Jaguars, Commanders, Texans, Cardinals, Bengals, Lions, Dolphins, 49ers, Chargers, Eagles, Ravens, Seahawks, Bills, Buccaneers, Patriots and Cowboys so far. We will go over the other teams before the end of this week, so keep checking back for more!

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Geno Smith Fantasy Outlook

Smith is the new starting quarterback for the Raiders.

He's QB24 and going near pick 191 on average, so he's a deep-league asset. 

Smith had a pretty solid year in Seattle in 2024 across 17 games. He had 4,320 passing yards, but just 21 touchdowns, and he threw 15 interceptions. Smith added 272 yards and two scores on the ground.

There's some decent offensive talent in Las Vegas, but it seems unlikely that Smith would turn into a fantasy star this season. I think he's a fine weekly streaming option, and can start more often in deeper leagues and two-QB setups. I just don't see him near the top 10.

Skip him in standard league drafts and just view him as a weekly streaming option. 

Running Back Fantasy Outlook

Ashton Jeanty was drafted early in the first round this offseason to give the Raiders a workhorse back. Raheem Mostert is a more-than-capable backup, while Zamir White, Sincere McCormick and Dylan Laube are other depth options for now.

Jeanty was the No. 6 overall pick, so Vegas is going to be expecting big things out of the running back. He starred in college at Boise State, so many are interested to see how he looks to kick off his NFL career.

In order to get him, you'll have to spend a first-round pick on him, as he's RB5 and going at pick 10 on average. I really like Jeanty, but I think that ADP sets him up better to underperform than it does to allow him to overachieve.

I like running backs like Derrick Henry, De'Von Achane and Josh Jacobs more, and so I'd rather get Jeanty around pick 15, at the earliest. Jeanty has top-five potential, but that's a major gamble to make on a rookie early in a fantasy draft.

And if you are in a league with 10 or more teams and considering taking Jeanty at pick 10-12, you are likely taking a wide receiver next, otherwise you will be playing catch up at that spot. That puts a ton of pressure on you getting elite RB production from Jeanty, and I'm just not sold on him being that high of a pick.

By getting him at pick 15 or later, you lessen the blow if he ends up flopping, or even just underperforming. I'd much rather take a proven back over a rookie like Jeanty with my first fantasy back pick, but I also understand the hype around him. Just don't put all your eggs in one basket with him.

Mostert is RB67 and going near pick 230. White is RB91 and at pick 338.

Fantasy owners are convinced Jeanty will dominate the backfield, but I think one of those two veterans will carve out a decent role and be a flex option here and there.

I think it'll be Mostert. He only had 439 yards and two scores over 13 games with Miami last season, but he could be more involved for a Raiders' offense which isn't as good as the Dolphins' unit was.

I'm surprised his ADP is nowhere near standard leagues. I'd prefer to scoop him off the waiver wire as well, but I'd have guessed Mostert's ADP to be around 180-200, not well into the 200s. He's a player to keep an eye on as the season gets rolling.

White had a chance to take over this backfield last season, but struggled, was replaced and now could be on the chopping block. He had 213 yards and a score over eight games.

He's 25 years old (nearly 26), and a change of scenery is now his best chance at any little fantasy relevance. Spending a very late pick on him this year is a very low risk, but it's also highly unlikely to pay off. Only draft him, or roster him, in the deepest of fantasy setups.

Wide Receiver Fantasy Outlook

Jakobi Meyers is the team's top wide receiver heading into 2025. Tre Tucker and rookie Dont'e Thornton Jr.. are the other projected starters, while Collin Johnson and rookies Jack Bech and Tommy Mellott are among the depth options.

Meyers is the top-drafted Vegas wideout, but is just WR39 and going near pick 85 on average. I like that ADP, and would be happy to draft him, as he's the No. 1 wideout on the team to open the year.

Meyers played in 15 games last season, finishing with 1,050 total yards and four scores. That was his most yardage in a single season, but he scored six less times than in 2023.

I think the draft value of his current ADP is perfect to take a flier on him. He's a flex-level option to kick off the season, and could work into an every-week fantasy starting role depending on how the passing game looks for Vegas.

Bech is WR69 and is going near pick 212 on average. Thornton is WR79 and sitting at pick 260. Tucker is way back at WR112 and near pick 363.

Bech was the team's second-round pick, but it's the fourth-round selection (Thornton) who is the projected starter. I expect both rookies to play plenty of snaps, which puts them each on the fantasy radar.

They are just deep-league assets to kick off the season, but could become waiver wire options and standard league streamers throughout the year.

I don't see this passing game being stellar, so I view them as standard league streaming options only, not every-week starters, but you just never know how these rookies will perform when they reach the NFL, so they are each worth watching.

Drafting two rookie wideouts really hurt Tucker's fantasy outlook. He has 991 yards and six scores over two years and 33 games though, so it was warranted.

Tucker could still carve out a decent offensive role, but I also wouldn't be surprised if he's phased out of things by the rookies. He's a fine deep-league draft asset, and also could be a standard league streamer, but his upside is lower than Bech or Thornton, and unless Tucker gets a change of scenery, he might not accomplish too much this coming season.

Tight End Fantasy Outlook

The reason not many of the wideouts are viewed highly is because Brock Bowers is the tight end. Michael Mayer is a cable backup as well.

Bowers is TE1 and going near pick 17. That's a high pick for a tight end, but it's warranted after what he did as a rookie.

Bowers played in 17 games, going for 1,207 total yards and five touchdowns. With more offensive talent and a usable quarterback in place, most are expecting Bowers to erupt in his second season.

He finished 18th among the non-fantasy QBs last season, so his ADP makes sense. Bowers as the top fantasy tight end is also how I have things, and think a top-three finish is his fantasy floor.

I'd prefer to pick him in the 20s instead of the late-teens, but if you are confident in your first pick and drafting ability in the later rounds, then Bowers near his ADP is a fine choice and sets you up extremely well at tight end. You wouldn't need another TE aside from him.

Mayer is TE42 and going near pick 337. 

He only has 460 yards and two scores across his first two years and 25 games, which is underwhelming after he was a second-round pick in 2023. With Bowers around, Mayer only had 156 yards and no scores across 11 games.

With the added pass-catching talent this offseason, I think Mayer isn't going to be too involved on this year's offense. A change of scenery would be his best route to fantasy relevance.

He's worth stashing in some really deep fantasy leagues, but has more dynasty/keeper value in his current situation. We'll see if he ever gets a chance to star for another team, but right now, he's pretty irrelevant in redraft fantasy leagues.