DarnellWashington

News: 3 days agoWashington ended the preseason slate with one reception (on one target) for five yards across two contests.

Spin: QB Aaron Rodgers and WRs DK Metcalf (undisclosed) and Michael Pittman (hamstring) didn't suit up during exhibition season, but Washington was among the regular members of the Steelers offense to see some work along the way. Washington is coming off a career-best 31-364-1 line on 43 targets in 16 regular-season games in 2025, and he's also logged between 497 and 560 offensive snaps in each of his three pro campaigns. Still, with Pat Freiermuth locked in to the top pass-catching TE role, Washington will need to take advantage of his sparse looks from Rodgers.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Though he never quite made it onto the fantasy radar, Washington was one of the most fun, surprising "breakout" players of 2025. Essentially an extension of the offensive line at 6-foot-6, 264 pounds, Washington is known mainly for his blocking. Still, the 2023 third-round pick played well enough that he was stealing snaps and targets from both Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth. Washington never cleared six targets or 10.7 fantasy points in any game, but he was effective with the ball in his hands and averaged 8.5 yards per target. Though Smith has been released, Pittsburgh's offense is no longer being led by TE superfan Arthur Smith, which is likely to lead to a lesser role for Washington. Expect him to operate as a rarely targeted blocking complement to Freiermuth.