Boise State Professional Athletes

Ashton Jeanty's Big Week — On the Field and Off It

Ashton Jeanty couldn't break free on the ground in the Raiders' Week 7 loss to the Rams — Las Vegas fell 35-21, extending its losing streak to four games — but the former Boise State star quietly put together one of his best performances of the season through the air. Jeanty hauled in eight receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown, flashing the versatility that made him a sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The ground game remains a problem. Jeanty is averaging just 3.1 yards per carry on the season, and his 15 rushing yards against Los Angeles did little to change the narrative. But the receiving explosion offered a glimpse of why the Raiders still believe in their franchise back — and apparently, Jeanty believes in himself too.

Jeanty Lights a Fuse Ahead of Week 8

The real story this week wasn't in the box score. Days after the Rams loss, Jeanty went public with pointed criticism of the Jets' defense ahead of Sunday's Week 8 matchup, saying in a video that a couple of New York's defenders "don't really want to tackle." The comments landed in East Rutherford like a flare gun.

The Jets responded immediately and forcefully. Defensive coordinator Brian Duker didn't mince words: "I got confidence in our guys." Multiple Jets players were described as quietly aware of Jeanty's remarks and motivated by them. One veteran defensive tackle was specifically identified as having fresh bulletin-board material.

The timing drew scrutiny. Jeanty's Raiders sit at 3-4, losers of four straight, and critics were quick to note that trash talk carries less weight when your team is in a slide. The backlash was swift — including pushback that Jeanty wasn't exactly in a position to be calling out anyone's defense.

There's also a wrinkle working in Jeanty's favor: Jets rookie edge rusher David Bailey, the team's sacks leader, is listed as doubtful for Sunday with a groin injury. A depleted pass rush could open lanes — and make Jeanty's pregame boldness look either prophetic or reckless, depending on how the day goes.

The stakes extend beyond the scoreboard. If Las Vegas drops to 3-5, trade deadline chatter around the roster will intensify. Jeanty's name has already surfaced in speculation, with reports indicating teams like the Giants have received messages about his availability should the Raiders shift into seller mode.

Around the Broncos

Elsewhere in the alumni notebook, Brett Rypien — another Boise State product — is back on the market after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers released him from their practice squad. The journeyman quarterback, who previously started games for Denver, will be looking for his next opportunity.

George Holani chipped in 11 rushing yards and a reception for 12 yards in the Seahawks' dominant 20-3 win over Kansas City on Sunday, a quiet but useful contribution for Seattle's backfield.

All eyes, though, remain on Jeanty and Sunday's showdown with the Jets. Few Week 8 games carry more personal stakes — or more pregame noise generated by one player.

The Jeanty Problem

The numbers that once made Ashton Jeanty a first-round darling are becoming the story no Las Vegas fan wants to read. The Raiders' second-year running back is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry in 2026, and a foot injury is reportedly complicating his already struggling season. Against Buffalo on Sunday, Jeanty managed only 22 rushing yards — catching four passes for 36 yards — but the ground game that defined his Boise State legend remains conspicuously absent at the NFL level.

Las Vegas fell 33-30, and Jeanty's diminished role wasn't incidental. Fox Sports noted that the Raiders are actually improving as a team, which makes Jeanty's regression all the more puzzling — and all the more concerning for anyone invested in his trajectory. The foot injury may explain some of the drop-off, but it doesn't fully account for what's becoming a worrying trend. The Sporting News flagged the game against the Bills as evidence of a genuine "Jeanty problem," one that could reshape how the Raiders deploy their backfield going forward.

The comparisons being floated in national coverage are not flattering for a player with Jeanty's pedigree. If the injury doesn't resolve and the yards-per-carry number doesn't move, expect the conversation around his role — and his future with the franchise — to grow louder.

On the Other Sideline

While Jeanty labored, a fellow Bronco made plays in the same game — just in blue and red. Khalil Shakir, the Bills' wide receiver out of Boise State, hauled in four catches for 34 yards and a touchdown in Buffalo's win. The score — a 9-yard connection from Josh Allen — gave the Bills a 13-7 lead in the second quarter and proved to be part of the winning margin. Shakir remains one of the more dependable slot options in the AFC, and the Week 6 matchup was another reminder of what a polished route runner he's become.

The subplot of two Boise State alums on opposite sides of a close AFC contest is the kind of thing that makes alumni newsletters worth reading. One is ascending, one is in a fog — and both futures will bear watching.

Elsewhere Around the League

The Commanders' supporting cast of Broncos showed up in a 23-17 loss to San Francisco on Monday night. Tight end John Bates pulled in one reception for 4 yards, while running back Jeremy McNichols added 13 rushing yards in a reserve role. Neither performance moved needles, but both players remain active contributors on a Washington roster that's building toward something.

The bigger picture for Boise State's NFL diaspora this week: the program's two marquee skill players — Jeanty and Shakir — shared the same field and told two very different stories. Shakir is answering every question being asked of him. Jeanty, for now, is the question.

Two Broncos, One Marquee Matchup

When the Buffalo Bills host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6, the most compelling Boise State subplot won't be found in the box score — it'll be in the backstory of two alumni set to line up on opposite sides of a game with real AFC implications.

Khalil Shakir Is the Fastest Man in the NFL Right Now

Speed is hard to fake, and Shakir isn't faking anything. The Bills wideout clocked the fastest speed recorded in the 2026 NFL season during Buffalo's overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football — a sprint that materialized into one of the more pivotal moments of the game. Shakir finished the night with 3 catches for 80 yards, a quiet-looking line that undersells how important he's become to Buffalo's offense. He enters Week 6 as the Bills' second-leading receiver, a role that only grew when starters DJ Moore and Josh Palmer were both inactive against the Rams, forcing Shakir and Keon Coleman to carry the receiving corps. He delivered. Now, with the full unit potentially back, the question is whether Shakir remains a focal point or reverts to a complementary role. Given what he showed Monday, that would be a waste.

Ashton Jeanty Is Banged Up — But He's Not Sitting

The Raiders' first-round investment at running back hasn't gone smoothly to start 2026. Jeanty has battled ankle and foot injuries that sapped his explosiveness, and Las Vegas's rushing attack has suffered for it — heavy on yardage from a compromised back, short on the burst that made Jeanty a consensus top pick coming out of Boise State. In Week 5 against New England, he managed just 27 rushing yards in a blowout loss, though he contributed 50 receiving yards on three catches.

The storyline heading into Week 6 got messy fast. Reports surfaced that the Raiders organization was weighing the idea of giving Jeanty some structured rest — a move Jeanty reportedly pushed back on hard. Coach Klint Kubiak ended the conversation quickly, shutting down rest rumors and confirming Wednesday that Jeanty will play Sunday. Jeanty himself said he's "ready to go."

It's a credibility moment for both player and franchise. Las Vegas has leaned into Jeanty as the identity of its offense, but that identity has been blunted by injury and, per analytics making the rounds, a struggling offensive line that has created few clean running lanes. Whether those issues resolve against a stout Bills defense remains to be seen.

The Rest of the Bronco Report

Elsewhere, George Holani had a rough stretch for the Seahawks — a costly fumble against the 49ers contributed to a loss in Week 5, and Seattle's backfield drew sharp criticism. He did score a rushing touchdown Thursday against Denver, offering a measure of redemption in a 14-17 Broncos win. John Bates hauled in 1 catch for 1 yard in Washington's tie with the Giants, a night to forget for most involved.

The headliner this week, though, is the Bills-Raiders collision. Two Boise State alumni, built in the same program, meeting in a game that matters — with one chasing a speed record and the other chasing full health. Not bad for Bronco Country.

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.