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
