Who Should I Start? Jalen McMillan or Malik Washington

Monday, January 13, 12:30 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan caught two of his four targets for 41 yards during Sunday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. It was a below-average performance from the rookie receiver, who snapped a five-game touchdown streak in the defeat. He had found the end zone seven over during this five-game window, ranking as the overall WR7 in half-PPR leagues during that span. McMillan did a great job filling in for Chris Godwin (ankle) down the stretch, and the rookie's emergence is likely enough to convince the Buccaneers that re-signing Godwin isn't a high priority. The University of Washington product offers a nice complement to Mike Evans, and the two should continue to form a solid one-two punch for years to come. McMillan remains a strong fantasy WR3 going forward, especially if he can prove that his nose for the end zone in 2024 wasn't a fluke.

Monday, January 6, 12:22 PM

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington caught four of five targets for 48 yards in the season-ending 32-20 loss to the New York Jets. The rookie took on a more significant role later in the season with the injury to Jaylen Waddle (knee) and the lack of depth Miami has at the receiver position. In the last four games, Washington saw more targets, receptions, and yards than he had in any stretch this season. Tyreek Hill will surely be parting ways with the organization in the offseason, and he could find himself in a more prominent role when the 2025 season starts. Time will only tell, but the rookie has shown a level of promise that he looks to build off of when the NFL season comes around in September.