Boise State Professional Athletes

Two former Boise State Broncos are making noise in the NFL this week — for very different reasons. Ashton Jeanty is fighting through pain just to suit up, while Khalil Shakir is putting together the kind of quietly elite season that tends to sneak up on the league.

Jeanty: Toughing It Out, But the Ankle Is a Problem

Jeanty entered Week 4 already managing an ankle injury that predated the 2026 season, and things didn't get easier against Kansas City. The Raiders running back exited Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Chiefs at one point, briefly heading to the trainers before returning to finish with 126 yards from scrimmage — 58 rushing, 68 receiving on 6 catches. That's a respectable line. Getting it while hobbled is the more remarkable part.

But the week hasn't trended in the right direction since. Jeanty was downgraded to limited practice on Thursday, and he's officially listed as questionable for the Raiders' Week 5 matchup against the Patriots. Through four weeks, he's totaled 429 yards of total offense — numbers that look fine on the surface but come with context that cuts both ways.

That context: according to FanSided, Jeanty ranks last in the league in rushing EPA for the second consecutive season. The Raiders' offensive line hasn't made life easy, and Jeanty himself has acknowledged the run-blocking as the team's biggest offensive concern. The ankle clouds everything — it's difficult to assess how much of the early-season struggles are schematic, physical, or both. What's clear is that Las Vegas badly needs its franchise back healthy and productive, and right now it has neither guarantee.

If Jeanty can't go Sunday, expect the Raiders to lean on their backfield depth against a Patriots defense that has been no pushover.

Shakir: The Stat Line Nobody's Talking About

While Jeanty's situation dominates the injury wire, Khalil Shakir is doing something remarkable in Buffalo that deserves a louder headline. The Bills wideout is leading the NFL in a key receiving stat — a distinction that, per Sports Illustrated, has caught even seasoned observers off guard given the receiver talent across the league this season.

Shakir backed it up in Week 4, hauling in 7 catches for 82 yards against New England — a game Buffalo ultimately lost 29-26, but one in which Shakir continued to be Josh Allen's most dependable option underneath and over the middle. His reliability as a target has quietly made him one of the more valuable wideouts in the AFC, even if the national conversation hasn't caught up yet.

For Boise State alumni, Shakir's ascent is the feel-good story of the early season.

Around the Rest of the Bronco Alumni

George Holani saw limited work for Seattle in their 30-23 win over the Chargers, carrying for 18 yards and adding 2 on a reception. His role could expand — Sports Illustrated reported this week that the Seahawks are leaning on Holani more heavily following an injury to rookie running back Jadarian Price.

Meanwhile, Jeremy McNichols got a positive development: Washington designated the veteran running back to return from injured reserve, beginning the clock on his potential comeback with the Commanders.

It's a busy week on the Bronco alumni front, and the headliner — for better or worse — remains Jeanty. Bronco fans will be watching Sunday's injury report closely.

Ashton Jeanty Is the Real Deal

Through three weeks of the 2026 NFL season, few rookie stories have been more compelling than Ashton Jeanty's start in Las Vegas. The former Boise State star has racked up 303 scrimmage yards through three games, helping drive a Raiders team to a 3-0 record that qualifies as one of the league's genuine early surprises. In Week 3 against New Orleans, Jeanty added 56 rushing yards and hauled in three receptions for 37 more — a 93-yard scrimmage day that underscored his value as a dual-threat weapon in a Las Vegas offense featuring Kirk Cousins and tight end Brock Bowers.

The test gets harder. The Raiders face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4, and Chris Jones has already publicly pushed back at critics questioning the Kansas City pass rush — a sign that the defending powerhouse views this matchup seriously. A Yahoo Sports breakdown noted that Las Vegas will need Jeanty and the ground game to find consistency against a Chiefs front that rarely gives ground without a fight. How the former Bronco performs under that spotlight will be the most closely watched Boise State storyline of the week.

Seahawks Backfield in Crisis

While Jeanty thrives in Nevada, Boise State's Pacific Northwest contingent is in a far more difficult spot. Seattle placed rookie running back Jadarian Price on injured reserve after he aggravated a chest injury, costing him at least four games. Price's absence pushes immediate responsibility onto Emanuel Wilson and George Holani — the latter a fellow Bronco alum — during what figures to be a demanding stretch of the schedule.

Holani's situation is uncertain in its own right. He picked up a knock during the Seahawks' Week 3 loss to Washington (31-33), leaving the team's backfield depth thin at the worst possible moment. Before leaving, Holani had flashed his receiving ability, catching five passes for 48 yards to go with 10 rushing yards — a 58-yard scrimmage day that showed his versatility but also highlighted how much Seattle may need him healthy going forward. An injury update from Sports Illustrated flagged that Holani was "dinged up" on a day that already featured problems at the position.

Also in Seattle, linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence suited up in the loss to Washington, though no statistical lines were recorded for him.

Around the Rest of the Bronco Alumni

It was a quieter week for other Boise State products. Khalil Shakir caught one pass for six yards in the Bills' 24-16 win over the Chargers in a game where Buffalo leaned heavily on its run game. Tight end John Bates contributed one reception for nine yards in Washington's narrow road win over Seattle — the same game where his former Bronco teammates Holani and Lawrence were on the opposite sideline. Brett Rypien landed on Tampa Bay's roster amid a Baker Mayfield injury, giving the journeyman quarterback a fresh opportunity in the NFC South.

Jeanty's ascent is the headline act, but the full Boise State NFL picture this week is one of high highs and real concern — a backfield star making noise in the desert, and a Seattle depth chart that just got significantly more fragile.

The Jeanty Problem

Boise State's most prominent NFL alumni had a rough week, and the one that matters most is Ashton Jeanty — whose health is now the central question hovering over Las Vegas heading into Week 3.

The second-year Raiders running back exited Sunday's 26-14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers with an injury in the second half, sending alarm bells through a Raiders offense that is built around him. When healthy, Jeanty is the engine. When he's not, the Raiders don't have a clean answer. His final line — 21 carries for 48 yards and four catches for 15 yards, totaling 63 scrimmage yards — was already a step back from his Week 1 performance before the injury compounded the frustration.

The timing couldn't be worse. Las Vegas is set to host the New Orleans Saints in what amounts to a marquee Week 3 matchup and the Saints' home opener. New Orleans spent the week studying Kirk Cousins and a Klint Kubiak-led Raiders offense that leans heavily on Jeanty as its most dangerous weapon. If the Boise State product is limited or unavailable, Las Vegas loses its primary threat — and the Saints' defensive game plan gets a whole lot simpler.

Reports out of the Raiders' facility indicate the team is hoping Jeanty can return to full strength, but there was no clean bill of health issued heading into the week. After a promising Week 1 showing, the regression in Week 2 — both statistically and physically — has put the entire franchise on edge.

Around the League

While Jeanty's situation dominated the Boise State storyline, a handful of other Broncos alumni were active across the NFL in Week 2.

In Seattle, George Holani contributed modestly in the Seahawks' dominant 31-7 win over Arizona, logging 13 rushing yards and a reception for 2 more. It's complementary work behind a loaded backfield, but Holani is holding a roster spot and seeing touches. DeMarcus Lawrence, also with Seattle, was on the field for that blowout win, though he didn't register notable counting stats in the box score.

In Denver, JL Skinner saw action at safety as the Broncos edged Jacksonville 20-13, continuing to carve out a role in the secondary.

Over in Detroit, Ahmed Hassanein didn't play in the Lions' first two weeks — but that could be changing. Head coach Dan Campbell publicly opened the door for the Boise State defensive end to enter the rotation after Detroit surrendered a stunning 71 points across its opening two games. If Campbell follows through, Hassanein could be in line for his first meaningful NFL snaps in Week 3.

The bigger picture for Boise State fans: the alumni corps is scattered across rosters in various roles, but Jeanty remains the headliner by a wide margin. His ability to suit up healthy against New Orleans — and play like the back he was in Week 1 — will define what this week means for the Broncos' most decorated recent export.

Ashton Jeanty didn't ease into the NFL. He bulldozed through it.

The former Boise State Heisman finalist turned in one of the most complete running back performances of Week 1, carrying 23 times for 102 yards, hauling in six catches for 45 more, and finding the end zone twice through the air as the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Miami Dolphins 27-13. His 147 yards from scrimmage led the entire Raiders offense — and that includes every wide receiver on the roster. It was his third career 100-yard rushing game, and it came on the league's biggest stage with a new coaching staff leaning on him from snap one.

The performance wasn't just statistically loud. It signaled a structural shift in how Las Vegas intends to operate under first-year head coach Klint Kubiak. Jeanty played 50 snaps and earned a 71.0 PFF grade, and he was, by a wide margin, the Raiders' most dangerous offensive weapon on the day. Kubiak's offense was built around Jeanty's skillset — the scheme gave him room that simply didn't exist in Year 1 — and the results were immediate. Raiders offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko has been vocal about the team's commitment to their backfield, and Jeanty made sure that message landed.

One wrinkle heading into Week 2: All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers is listed as doubtful after a knee meniscus procedure, which figures to make Jeanty an even more central figure in the offense against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. The Chargers have already delivered their own public acknowledgment of the threat Jeanty poses — a notable bit of bulletin-board material as Las Vegas looks to go 2-0.

Shakir Quietly Productive in Buffalo

While Jeanty was grabbing headlines in the desert, Khalil Shakir was doing steady work in Buffalo. The Bills wideout posted four catches for 50 yards in a Week 1 win over the Houston Texans, then followed it up with three catches for 38 yards in a Thursday night victory over the Detroit Lions, 41-31. Shakir isn't the centerpiece of Buffalo's passing attack, but he's a reliable contributor on a Super Bowl-contending roster — and with records in sight for several Bills players, his role in that offense is worth watching down the stretch.

Around the Rest of the Alumni Network

The week was quieter for most other Broncos-turned-pros. John Bates caught two passes for 13 yards for Washington in a narrow 24-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 — a game where every yard mattered. Ahmed Hassanein was ruled inactive for Detroit's Week 1 game against the Saints, a setback for the Lions defensive end as he looks to carve out a roster role. JL Skinner was on the field for Denver but the Broncos were blown out 31-10 by Kansas City — not a week any Bronco wants to revisit.

The Boise State pipeline into the NFL has never been deeper, but right now there's only one name that matters most: Jeanty. At Las Vegas, in Kubiak's system, with a full season ahead, the Broncos' most celebrated recent export looks ready to make good on every bit of the hype.