Mike Washington Jr. Fantasy Football Outlook With The Las Vegas Raiders
Kody Malstrom breaks down what to expect from RB Mike Washington Jr. as he's slated to back up Ashton Jeanty in Las Vegas.
In a class headlined by Jeremiyah Love, Mike Washington managed to turn the spotlight towards him at the combine, putting together a dominant performance to help shoot up the draft boards. While he still has a ways to go with his development as a multi-tool back, Washington will have the opportunity to carve out a role as a viable backup with the Las Vegas Raiders, potentially taking on a larger workload midway through the season once wear and tear rears its ugly head.
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Mike Washington Fantasy Football Outlook With The Las Vegas Raiders
With Washington showing signs of improvement throughout his career, the Raiders hope he can continue to progress with his development, giving them a viable backup to lean on. As a runner, there are no questions about Washington’s athleticism, clocking in a 4.33 40-yard dash while jumping out of the stadium with his impressive results in the broad jump and vertical leap.
If Washington is going to ward off his competition, then he will need to play a bigger role in their pass attack, an area of concern after failing to garner any significant usage in his final year at Arkansas. His low mark in PFF receiving grade and 7.5% drop rate indicate he may be too one-dimensional to secure a full-time role, making it tough to project how much of a workload he can receive in short order.
Washington also struggles to hold his own in pass block, which would bring in a higher amount of havoc into their backfield, making him a liability in pass sets. With no clear path for success, Washington is going to need time and luck in order to climb up the depth chart, resulting in an underwhelming rookie campaign.
Should You Plan to Draft Mike Washington This Year?
Heading into the year, our experts are pretty aligned with their projections on Washington, all ranking him within 10 spots of each other with an ADP of 142.4. While Matthew Freedman is bullish on the former Razorback by listing him as low as RB44, Ian Hartitz is more cautious, projecting him at RB54.
With Washington severely limited by his lack of usage in the pass attack, pass on him at his current ADP with Alvin Kamara and Tyjae Spears hovering near him. Even though his running ability is more than enough to keep him on the field, his lack of utility as a pass catcher diminishes his ability to help you compete in fantasy.
In a dynasty league, Washington is ranked near the likes of Fernando Mendoza, Elijah Sarratt and Eli Stowers, giving you plenty of ways to attack the second round. With other RBs in his tier having more upside due to their dual threat abilities, pass on Washington and look to add depth elsewhere.
2026 Scouting Report For Mike Washington
Per Dwain McFarland, Washington is RB5 in our Rookie Super Model, jockeying with the likes of Nicholas Singleton and Jonah Coleman. While his speed score helped elevate Washington up the board, his production rating holds him back from clawing into the top-3, failing to take advantage of his favorable workload during his time with Buffalo and New Mexico State.
It is worth noting that his best year came with the Arkansas Razorbacks in his final season, showing steady improvement throughout his collegiate career. His blistering fast speed was on full display during his time with the Razorbacks, averaging 89.0 rushing yards per game.
Unfortunately for Washington, his usage may be handicapped due to his limitations in the pass attack, making him too one-dimensional. Especially if his time on the field is diminished due to his poor grades in pass block and ball security, making it tough for him to separate himself from the bottom of the depth chart.
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