Who Should I Start? Russell Gage Jr. or Malik Washington

Sunday, August 3, 11:01 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Russell Gage has "run some really crisp routes" in training camp practices and has drawn the praise of quarterback Brock Purdy, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. The veteran wideout has been forced into a more prominent training camp role as a result of injuries to San Francisco receivers Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Jauan Jennings (calf), and Jacob Cowing (hamstring). Gage last appeared in an NFL game in 2022 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 74 career games, he's recorded 244 catches for 2,491 yards and 14 touchdowns. Gage is probably still a long shot to make an impact in fantasy this season, but he could earn some playing time early in the season if San Francisco continues to deal with injuries in their wide receiver room.

Sunday, August 10, 3:02 PM

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington "is WR No. 3" behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, according to Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald. A sixth-round pick out of Virginia in the 2024 draft, Washington recorded 26 catches for 223 yards in 14 games (three starts) for the Dolphins as a rookie. With Hill (oblique) currently sidelined by an oblique injury, Washington could be in line for a larger role than might otherwise be expected. However, Hill's availability for Week 1 is not currently thought to be in danger. If Hill is healthy, he and Waddle should dominate wide receiver targets in Miami. Washington would need one or both of the Dolphins' star receivers to miss time to factor in fantasy this season, but it's noteworthy that he appears to be the clear next man up in the pecking order.