2024 Dynasty Rookie Profile: Malik Washington, WR

Meet Malik Washington – the small yet explosive receiver from the University of Virginia. Washington is projected to be undrafted in our latest dynasty rookie ADP, but he is one of the most fascinating players to watch this draft season. Today, we’ll be breaking down his potential fit in the NFL as well as his strengths and weaknesses. More importantly, we’ll be breaking down his potential fit on your dynasty football rosters.

Malik Washington (WR) Virginia – Dynasty Rookie Profile

Height: 5’8

Weight: 190 lbs

Washington recently broke the ACC single-season receptions record. Notably, he had the fourth most receiving yards in all of college football. Additionally, he is a physical player for someone his size and he can be the best back-end draft pick in 2024. Let’s get into his potential fit in the NFL as we break down his skillset. More importantly, we’ll break down his potential outlook for your dynasty fantasy football leagues.

Strengths

Exceptional Route Running

When you are a 5’8 NFL wide receiver, it’s crucial to find ways to beat the defender when you can’t outsize them. Washington has great route-running skills that will surely translate to the NFL in a big way. Additionally, his quickness helps him in more precise routes and allows him to create separation from the defender. He looks to be a receiver who can line up just about anywhere and find a way to get open. Though he spent most of his time in the slot, Washington has the expanded route tree that’s necessary for being an immediate impact player for NFL teams. 

Difficult To Bring Down

The main trait that continued to shine in Washington’s tape was his reluctance to ever go down on the first point of contact. Despite his small size, he certainly doesn’t play small. It routinely takes more than one defender to take down Washington, as he fights for every extra yard on each catch. He plays a lot like Deebo Samuel – bouncing off defenders in the middle of the field to be a YAC monster. 

Elite Production In Senior Year

I’ll be honest – I didn’t know Malik Washington’s name until I started reviewing other well-known wideouts for this series. I went to check the Biletnikoff nominees and saw that this wide receiver (from Virginia of all schools) had been named a semi-finalist. Of course, I had to check out what that was all about. What I found was a true stud that was balling out on a bad team.

Washington led college football in receptions, raking in 110 catches in just 12 games. On those 100+ catches, Washington put up 1,400 yards receiving and 9 touchdowns. Additionally, there were only two games this season where Washington did not pass 100 yards. Ultimately, these stats would put Washington just outside the top 5 in receiving in the NFL in 2023. When it comes to fantasy football and dynasty potential, these stats can’t be ignored. 

Weaknesses

Late Breakout Age

The tough thing to overlook with Washington’s college profile is his late breakout age. In four years with Northwestern, Washington didn’t produce until his senior year where he caught 65 passes for 694 yards. It wasn’t until he transferred to UVA that he was able to showcase his talents truly. You could argue that almost 700 yards at Northwestern could be a “breakout” because it was a weaker offense. However, it still doesn’t instill a ton of confidence about this being more than a one-season fluke. 

Weak ACC Conference

While nothing compares to playing in the NFL, there are still a few conferences that come just a bit closer to the real thing. Unfortunately, the ACC is not one of them. Yes, there are still plenty of players that come out of the ACC and have great NFL careers like Matt Ryan and Lamar Jackson. The issue with the ACC is simply the competition isn’t as strong as other conferences like the SEC or the BIG 10. Ultimately, this shouldn’t diminish the excellent season Washington had in 2023. It just adds another lens in which to look at the production. 

NFL Fit and Draft Capitol

Washington is currently projected to be selected in the fourth or fifth round. His current draft value is relatively low, and depending on his landing spot, he will need to pop in training camp to solidify a starting spot.

Moreover, Washington’s skillset is perfect for a later-round rookie because he can slot into any team and bring value as a slot receiver. Personally, I see Washington as a key player that can be an easy target hog given he develops a great relationship with the quarterback. As the second-best-rated wideout on PFF, Washington does have a shot to be the steal of the draft.

Dynasty Outlook

Washington’s dynasty value stems from how low players can snag him in startup and rookie drafts. In a rookie class that is crazy deep at wide receiver, you could potentially grab a future starter in the third or fourth round.

In the NFL, Washington has the potential to be a PPR machine. His route-running expertise and tough running will combine to create an exciting new dynasty asset for teams smart enough to grab him toward the end of the third round. However, there is a chance that his fantasy draft stock will start to rise as well. Don’t be surprised to see his name pop up at the end of the second round as we inch closer to the 2024 NFL Draft and dynasty rookie draft season.