Mike Washington Jr. Fantasy Football Outlook (2026)

By Derek Brown (FantasyPros), Sun, Aug 23rd 2026, 11:39pm EDT

After the injury scare over the weekend concerning Ashton Jeanty, it was believed that Mike Washington Jr. would go screaming up the draft boards. Initial fears were that he could have sustained a season-ending injury, but it's been confirmed that it is a sprained ankle. The severity isn't known at the time of me penning this update, but the takeaway remains the same for Mike Washington Jr. Washington Jr. is one of the best handcuffs in fantasy. If Jeanty were to miss any time, Washington Jr. would be an immediate volume-driven RB2 in fantasy. He has looked amazing this preseason with an every-down skillset. Washington Jr. tested like an alien during the pre-draft process, leading to his fourth-round draft capital. During his final collegiate season, Washington Jr. broke out, ranking 33rd in yards after contact per attempt and 17th in breakaway rate (per PFF). Washington Jr. has blistering 4.3 speed and the size (6'1", 223 lbs) to be a three-down back if called upon.