Malik Washington

Malik Washington, standing at 5-foot-8 and weighing 191 pounds, made a significant impact in his final college season at Virginia, after transferring from Northwestern. He achieved an impressive 47% dominator rating, led the 2024 draft class with a 38% target share, and accumulated nearly 1,400 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns, earning him the second-highest PFF grade of 92.4 among WRs. Washington's exceptional performance continued into the NFL Combine, where he led his class with a 42.5-inch vertical jump (98th percentile), showcasing his remarkable athleticism despite his shorter stature. Drafted by the Dolphins in the sixth round, his skills as a YAC (yards after catch) specialist make him a promising addition to an offense that already features dynamic playmakers like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Coach Mike McDaniel's enthusiasm for Washington suggests he could significantly exceed expectations, benefiting from both opportunity and a quarterback capable of enhancing his fantasy production.

Washington is a dynamic player in the open field. He can slip tackles like a running back and has good vision in traffic. Last year, he was fifth in missed tackles forced. His low center of gravity helps with breaking arm tackles and his twitchy change of direction ability. He has an immediate burst with the ball in his hands. Washington's fluid hips allow him to uncover quickly and transition seamlessly to running after the catch. Washington was utilized in the slot in college (87.9% slot rate in 2023). He'll likely work inside at the NFL level. Washington has a good feel for finding the soft spots in zone. He was heavily utilized on screens and stop routes. Washington needs to continue to add nuance to his routes (mid-route), but he does display good footwork in his releases and bend in his routes to believe that he can continue to evolve in this area at the next level. His size can show up during this routes as he can get pushed off his line against physical corners, but he plays bigger at the catch point. He flashes good body control, snagging plenty of balls outside of his frame with adjustments to high throws and ankle biters. Dynasty Outlook: Unfortunately, the NFL didn't seem as high on Washington's skill set as I have been. He fell all the way to the sixth round before the Dolphins called his name. Washington is buried on the Miami receiving depth chart, and he'll be fighting just to make the roster for Week 1 behind Tyreek Hill, Odell Bekcham Jr., Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, River Cracraft, Braylon Sanders, and more. Washington's talent is real, and he's still worth stashing on your taxi squad this year. You can snag him in the final round of your rookie draft, but he may fall to waivers in plenty of leagues.