Who Should I Start? Darnell Washington or Mason Taylor


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
5.3 0.0 0.0 2.1 23.5 0.1

Darnell Washington News

Darnell Washington a Useful Depth Stash for Dynasty Managers?

Saturday, June 27, 11:17 AM

Across 16 games (13 starts) in 2025, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington recorded 31 catches for 364 yards and a touchdown on 43 targets. While Washington's numbers won't jump off the page for fantasy managers, he's slowly become more involved in the Steelers' passing game in each season since being drafted in the third round by the team in 2024. Pittsburgh also made a significant commitment to the 24-year-old this offseason, signing him to a four-year, $42 million contract extension. Pat Freiermuth still profiles as the top receiving tight end in Pittsburgh entering 2026, but the team let tight ends Jonnu Smith and Connor Heyward walk in free agency. In deeper dynasty leagues, Washington could be a buy-low target with some untapped upside for fantasy managers.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
5.7 0.0 0.0 2.7 23.4 0.1

Mason Taylor News

Mason Taylor Has Fallen Off of Fantasy Draft Boards in 2026

Saturday, July 18, 6:00 AM

As a rookie in 2025, New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor led the team in both targets and receptions, but he was unable to build upon some promising early-season momentum or truly take advantage of the opportunity presented by Garrett Wilson's absence. Taylor saw a combined 22 targets in a three-game stretch from Weeks 3 through 5 that made him a popular waiver wire pickup, but even in serving as the de facto number one receiving option for large swaths of the season, he topped five targets in a game only two more times and eventually landed on injured reserve with a neck injury. The Jets have since spent a first-round pick on Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, whose athleticism and physicality stand out in stark contrast to Taylor, who finished his rookie season without a single forced missed tackle. Incapable of consistently producing for fantasy as the top tight end on the team with Wilson sidelined for much of the year, nothing about Taylor's year-two situation suggests a sudden turnaround is on the way, and he is going largely undrafted in 2026 redraft leagues.


Darnell Washington vs. Mason Taylor

Still trying to decide between Washington and Taylor? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Darnell Washington is projected to score 5.3 points this week while Mason Taylor is projected to score 5.7 points.