It has been a tough season for Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty enters Week 17 with 828 rushing yards, 326 receiving yards and 10 total touchdowns, and he's also averaging just 3.7 yards per carry.
Those aren't terrible numbers for a rookie, but there's no doubt Jeanty left a lot of production on the field during his first campaign in the NFL.
Anyone who has watched the games this season knows that is hardly Jeanty's fault. Granted, the rookie certainly hasn't been perfect, but Jeanty is not even close to the biggest reason why it has been tough sledding for him this season.
Jeanty showed that on Sunday in the loss to the Houston Texans, when he torched an elite defense for two long touchdowns en route to rushing for 128 yards and tallying 60 receiving yards on one reception.
We saw it all from Jeanty, who showed great vision, explosiveness, yards after contact ability and even receiving prowess.
The biggest issue for Jeanty this season has been the situation around him, as the Raiders sport one of the worst offenses in the NFL.
The offensive line has not done a good job opening up holes for him, as evidenced by the Raiders' group upfront ranking 19th in run-block win rate, and the passing attack has done nothing to take pressure off.
Play-calling has also been an issue, as have personnel decisions, with Jeanty coming off the field far too often, especially in two-minute drills.
The Raiders' head-scratching handling of Jeanty has not been the most egregious out of the team's rookies, but it has been bad nonetheless and that is yet another stain on the tenures of head coach Pete Carroll and now-former offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
Our eyes don't lie, and they tell us that Jeanty looks the part of the superstar running back the Raiders hoped they were getting when they drafted him.
While the offensive line and wide receivers rooms need a lot of love, having Jeanty and superstar tight end Brock Bowers is a fantastic starting point for the young quarterback the Raiders should be doing everything they can to draft in April.
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