Updated Mike Washington Jr. Fantasy Outlook 2026: Draft the Raiders RB, But Don’t Chase Him
Mike Washington Jr. Fantasy Outlook 2026: Draft the Raiders RB, But Don’t Chase Him
Daniel Tomaro Sat, August 29, 2026 at 2:07 PM UTC
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Mike Washington Jr.'s Fantasy Outlook 2026: Draft the Raiders RB, But Don't Chase Him
Mike Washington Jr. is a rookie running back whose immediate fantasy value has spiked following the ankle injury to Ashton Jeanty. He now profiles as a potential draft target for managers seeking early season volume, something that is common among zero-RB drafters specifically.
Should I Draft Mike Washington Jr. in Fantasy Football?
Washington showcased his big play ability immediately this summer. He ripped off a run of 30+ yards in each of the first two preseason games and looked great in doing so. This production mirrors his collegiate efficiency: during his 2025 season at Arkansas, he averaged 6.4 yards per carry and recorded 13 rushing attempts of 20+yards.
While Jeanty appears to have avoided disaster with the injury suffered in practice, the physical setback makes his primary handcuff a target. I wasn’t sold on the RB2 in Vegas being a worthwhile roster when we had Jeanty at full strength, but given that this injury could not only result in early season load management, but also flare up with time, Washington is now a player that deserves to be universally selected.
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Washington possesses interesting talent and a clear path to an early season workload. However, managers must manage their overall expectations. Jeanty remains a generational prospect and even he struggled in this offensive environment early last season before eventually finding his comfort spots.
If Jeanty misses time, Washington projects as a low end RB2 simply based on raw touch volume. But I caution against getting overly excited. The Las Vegas offense remains awfully limited overall and a bad offense caps the ceiling for most of the attached pieces. Washington is a nice-to-have piece, not one that I’m going to chase up boards.
Kyle Soppe’s RB Fantasy Rankings 2026 -
Bijan Robinson | ATL
Jahmyr Gibbs | DET
James Cook III | BUF
Jonathan Taylor | IND
Christian McCaffrey | SF
De'Von Achane | MIA
Saquon Barkley | PHI
Chase Brown | CIN
Derrick Henry | BAL
Javonte Williams | DAL
Kenneth Walker III | KC
Omarion Hampton | LAC
Jeremiyah Love | ARI
Josh Jacobs | GB
Ashton Jeanty | LV
D'Andre Swift | CHI
Travis Etienne Jr. | NO
Breece Hall | NYJ
Kyren Williams | LAR
David Montgomery | HOU
Cam Skattebo | NYG
Bhayshul Tuten | JAX
Jadarian Price | SEA
Bucky Irving | TB
Chuba Hubbard | CAR
TreVeyon Henderson | NE
Quinshon Judkins | CLE
Jaylen Warren | PIT
Jordan Mason | MIN
Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS
Rhamondre Stevenson | NE
Tony Pollard | TEN
Kenny Gainwell | TB
J.K. Dobbins | DEN
Blake Corum | LAR
Kyle Monangai | CHI
Jonathon Brooks | CAR
Rico Dowdle | PIT
RJ Harvey | DEN
Zach Charbonnet | SEA
Chris Rodriguez Jr. | JAX
Tyler Allgeier | ARI
Rachaad White | WAS
Aaron Jones Sr. | MIN
Mike Washington Jr. | LV
Isiah Pacheco | DET
Woody Marks | HOU
Nick Singleton | TEN
Devin Singletary | NYG
Keaton Mitchell | LAC
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
Source: “AOL Sports”
