The Pittsburgh Steelers needed depth at wide receiver entering the draft, but their needs increased after dealing Martavis Bryant to the Oakland Raiders. As such, it was no surprise to see Pittsburgh select Oklahoma State’s James Washington with the 60th pick.
With the 60th pick in the 2018 #NFLDraft, we select WR James Washington.#SteelersDraft pic.twitter.com/8VR24ZUMIJ
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 28, 2018
Washington figures to see snaps immediately as Pittsburgh’s slot receiver. That’s worth monitoring due to his high-powered offense, but few have succeeded in his position in the past.
Reasons to Get Excited
Situation
If Ben Roethlisberger can stay healthy, the Steelers are pretty much guaranteed to have a top-five passing offense. You’ll want as many people involved in that as possible.
Washington should benefit from day one. Not only is Bryant gone, but former slot receiver Eli Rogers remains injured and unsigned. Darrius Heyward-Bey and Justin Hunter are still on the roster, but they combined for six receptions and 70 yards in 2017. Washington will have the inside track for extra snaps.
Handcuff Viability
We typically only consider running backs as handcuffs, but certain receivers in certain situations are worth holding in that capacity. If Antonio Brown or JuJu Smith-Schuster had to sit for any length of time, is there any doubt that adding Washington would cost more than 50 percent of a FAAB budget? That alone makes him worth a late-round pick.
Production
As the most recent winner of the Fred Biletnikoff Award, Washington showed he could dominate statistically. He had three straight seasons with at least 1,000 yards and three touchdowns. That included leading the FBS in receiving yards in 2017 with 1,423 yards. Not to mention he had an astonishing 20.6 yards per reception, which was the most for a 1,000-yard receiver since Breshad Perriman in 2014. With his running back build, Washington could continue to put up big numbers in the NFL with yards after the catch.
Reasons to Pump the Brakes
Opportunities
Despite the excellent situation in Pittsburgh, the Steelers tend to be top-heavy for fantasy purposes. Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell figure to be stars yet again, but no one has had consistent success after them. Smith-Schuster and Bryant helped fantasy teams for stretches, but neither could do it over a full season (or at least not yet, in Smith-Schuster’s case).
On top of that, Washington is lower on the totem pole than those guys were when they were able to thrive. Barring injury, the best-case scenario is he’s Roethlisberger’s fourth option. Few players produce from that spot.
Size/Hands/Route Running
Washington was criticized for all three in scouting reports leading up to the draft. We’ll find out soon enough if these are nitpicky complaints or legitimate concerns, but it is a little worrisome that several scouts listed the same problems. If Washington really does struggle in these areas we could be looking at Sammie Coates all over again.
Not a Bryant Replacement
Some are talking about Washington as the new Bryant, but that isn’t really accurate. Bryant (6-foot-4, 211 pounds) was an athletic freak who was at his best on deep passes. Washington succeeded in that area in college, as the 20.6 yards per reception suggest. But at 5-foot-11 and with a 4.54 40-yard dash at the combine, it’s fair to expect him to have more trouble against NFL defensive backs.
The truth is, there’s no telling at this point how the Steelers will use Washington. He may not see the ball at all, much less on go routes.
Conclusion
Washington doesn’t have the upside of DJ Moore or Calvin Ridley, but he would make a fine addition as the guy at the end of the bench. He’s probably not going to be worth using at the beginning of the season, but beating the waiver wire crowd to the punch is its own victory. If he hits, he’s at least a decent trade chip. If not, it’ll be easy to let him go.
