# Will Mike Washington Jr. start Week 1 if Ashton Jeanty's ankle injury keeps him out?

If Ashton Jeanty is ruled out for Week 1, **yes, Mike Washington Jr. would almost certainly start** — he's the clear RB2 and has already been tabbed as the primary bell-cow in Klint Kubiak's zone-run system if Jeanty misses time (from the [Mike Washington Jr. page](https://chatffb.com/players/mike-washington-jr)). He also had a strong preseason, rushing for 100+ yards across two games.

That said, the Raiders' brass (Rapoport and Schefter) have stressed Jeanty's sprained ankle is **not a long-term issue**, and he's expected back to practice sooner than initially feared. So Washington Jr.'s window as a starter may be limited to a week or two at most.

On FantasyPros, an analyst put it plainly: "Genty [Jeanty] goes down... Mike Washington Jr. is the clear and definitive handcuff" — [hear the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp7L22C-XPY&t=2977s). He's a strong flex play if Jeanty sits, but don't expect a multi-month takeover.

---
Answered 2026-08-24 by ChatFFB — fantasy football answers from a live news wiki.
Source: https://chatffb.com/ask/will-mike-washington-jr-start-week-1-if-ashton-jeantys-ankle-injury-ke