Rookie Profile: Malik Washington, Wide Receiver, Miami Dolphins
Welcome to the Rookie Profile: Malik Washington, a three-star recruit out of Lawrenceville, Georgia. At Parkview High School, Washington played multiple positions and was highly productive on both sides of the ball. Recruited as a wide receiver, Washington decided to attend Northwestern University.
As a Wildcat, Washington didn’t contribute much until his junior year. During the 2021 season, he caught 44 balls for 578 yards and 2 touchdowns. As a senior, he saw even more work, finishing with 65 receptions for 694 yards and 1 score. But after his senior season, Washington transferred to the University of Virginia and broke out in a big way.
While pursuing his graduate degree in Higher Education, Washington was also dominating the field. He crushed ACC competition, earning First-team All-ACC honors and being named a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to College Football’s best wide receiver. The former high school track star recorded 110 receptions, 1426 yards, and 9 touchdowns in his one season at Virginia, solidifying himself as an NFL-caliber receiver in the process.
Measurables
Draft Capital & Landing Spot
Draft Capital- Round 6, 184th Overall
- The talent and collegiate production was impressive, but the draft capital just is not. Washington had a chance to be an early contributor as a slot-based, target magnet. Now, he’ll need to excel in practice to find the field early on.
Landing Spot- Miami Dolphins
- Washington landed in a great spot to utilize his skill set and maximize his fantasy production. However, he landed in a terrible spot given all of the dynamic playmakers in front of him. In addition to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, RBs Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane are elite backs in both the running and passing game. With the signing of veteran Odell Beckham, there’s room for growth here, but it won’t take place in games.
Team Depth Chart
Expected Role: Developmental Wide Receiver
Depth Chart via Fantasy Pros
Fantasy Impact
Washington is a long-term stash given his draft capital and landing spot. Unfortunately, I’m not expecting much value here. The depth chart is a near-impossible climb and once Hill retires, the Dolphins will simply replace him via free agency and the draft.
Washington was a bet I was making pre-draft. Now, I’m leaving him on waiver wires everywhere.
Check out The Fantasy Football Universe Sneak Peek Video of Malik Washington
Check out our 2024 Rookie Rankings Page for a full breakdown of this rookie class.
