Who Should I Start? Jelani Woods or Darnell Washington

Wednesday, August 27, 1:31 PM

The New York Jets claimed tight end Jelani Woods off waivers on Wednesday from the Indianapolis Colts, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Woods did not make the Colts' final 53-man roster heading into the 2025 season, and now he'll look to make his return to NFL action with the Jets for the first time since 2022. The 26-year-old will be competing for TE2 duties with Jeremy Ruckert in New York behind rookie first-rounder Mason Taylor. Woods, a former third-round pick (73rd overall) in 2022, caught 25 of 40 targets for 312 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games (two starts) in his rookie season with Indy. However, a serious hamstring injury caused him to miss each of the last two years, causing the Colts to move on. Woods would only be worth a look on the waiver wire in fantasy this year if Taylor misses time with an injury.

Tuesday, October 7, 7:41 PM

Despite finishing the game with just three catches for 20 yards, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington was heavily involved in the Week 4 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Washington logged more snaps than any other Steelers tight end and was highly effective as a run-blocker, paving the way for running back Kenneth Gainwell's 99-yard rushing performance. According to head coach Mike Tomlin, Washington's increased utilization was by design. "You can't play 4-3 teams with 250-pound tight ends", Tomlin stated in a press conference on Tuesday. He also hinted that Washington could again see significant playing time in this week's divisional meeting with the Cleveland Browns, who boast a strong defensive front. The third-year pro isn't a fantasy option just yet, but if he continues to play ahead of Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith again on Sunday, it will be worth monitoring whether that usage starts to show up in the box score.