Who Should I Start? Jalen McMillan or Malik Washington

Tuesday, August 26, 9:23 PM

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers placed wide receiver Jalen McMillan (neck) on Injured Reserve with a return designation on Tuesday. The move means that McMillan will be eligible to come back in Week 5, but he may have to miss more time than that as he recovers from a sprained neck. The 23-year-old suffered the injury in a preseason win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 16. McMillan, a third-round pick from Washington in 2024, impressed with 37 catches, 461 yards, and eight touchdowns in 13 games. He hauled in seven of those scores in the Buccaneers' final five games of the season, but he won't be able to build on that performance until at least October. The Bucs will also open the year without Chris Godwin (ankle), which will give first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka a prime opportunity to step up as the team's No. 2 receiver after Mike Evans.

Saturday, September 6, 9:50 AM

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington is set to start the season as the team's third receiver behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The second-year receiver could be in for a more involved role in 2025 after catching just 26 passes for 223 yards as a rookie. Washington was Miami's sixth-round pick out of Virginia and was able to work extensively with starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this training camp and preseason, while Hill and Waddle dealt with injuries. Washington showed his playmaking ability in the return game last year, and offensive coordinator Frank Smith praised his growth and understanding of the offense over the offseason. He's only the WR102 in RotoBaller's Week 1 Rankings, so he shouldn't be starting in any format yet. However, he is definitely a player to keep an eye on and possibly stash from waiver wires since he brings a lot of upside if he secures a big role in Miami's offense.