"Not worth a top 10 pick": Aaron Rodgers' ex-teammate shuts down Ashton Jeanty fantasy hype

Former NFL quarterback and Aaron Rodgers’ ex-teammate, Kurt Benkert, is not buying the hype surrounding Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty. Benkert shared his view on Jeanty’s fantasy football prospects on X.

“Jeanty is not worth a top 10 pick in fantasy. He’ll be solid, but he’s not worth Top 10,” Benkert, a backup quarterback with the Green Bay Packers in 2021, tweeted on Sunday.

The Raiders went 0-2-1 in preseason play, including a 20-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. The former Boise State standout rushed twice for 5 yards, ending an uninspiring preseason campaign.

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He rushed 12 times for 37 yards and a score, averaging 3.1 yards per carry in three games. Jeanty also made one catch for two yards. He was sparingly deployed by Las Vegas but is expected to get more playing time as the regular season progresses.

The Raiders picked the running back at No. 6 in April following an impressive collegiate career. In his final season with Boise State, Jeanty rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns on 374 carries.

He was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy after leading college football in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

Ashton Jeanty expects more playing time ahead of rookie season

Ashton Jeanty expressed his readiness to play more quarters for the Raiders heading into the season.

“It felt good, obviously, to get out there, get the feet wet a little bit," Jeanty said after Saturday's preseason game. "Now, with that being the last preseason game, the next time I’ll be able to play for four quarters. I’m just excited for not only me, but this whole team.”

Known for his tackle-breaking ability, Jeanty showed a glimpse of what made him a menace to defenses in college in a viral moment on Aug. 16. In Las Vegas' 22-19 loss to the 49ers, Jeanty trucked cornerback Deommodore Lenoir for a 13-yard run. He similarly ran over another defender versus the Cardinals on Saturday.

Jeanty missed 164 tackles during his last season in college, going for a combined 1,970 yards after contact.

The Raiders will start their 2025 season on the road against the Patriots on Sept. 7.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

Know More

Raiders Nation! Check out the latest Las Vegas Raiders Schedule and dive into the Raiders Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez