Steelers' Darnell Washington: Underwhelms in rookie season
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Washington secured seven of 10 targets for 61 yards over 17 games during the 2023 season.
Washington drew solid reviews during training camp ahead of his rookie season, but he was unable to carve out much of a role in the Steelers' passing game, even with Pat Freiermuth missing five games due to an injury. Washington was on the field for 48 percent of the team's offensive snaps, but he didn't record more than 12 receiving yards in any of his appearances. Although his lack of targets was discouraging, it was a positive sign to see him carve out his fair share of playing time, and he'll look to take a step forward in 2024.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Minimal production in victory
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Washington secured his lone target for eight yards during the Steelers' 34-11 win over the Bengals on Saturday.
Washington's snap count bounced back to 29 offensive snaps Saturday after he played just 13 snaps last week, but his production remained limited, even in a comfortable victory over Cincinnati. He was the team's most productive tight end since Pat Freiermuth was held without a target, but Washington shouldn't be a fantasy-relevant player to close out the season.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Held to 12 yards in defeat
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Washington secured one of two targets for 12 yards during the Steelers' 21-18 loss to the Patriots on Thursday.
Washington wasn't targeted during last week's loss to Arizona, but he racked up double-digit receiving yards for the third time this season during Thursday's loss. Despite his reception Thursday, the rookie third-rounder should have minimal fantasy relevance to close out the year.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Goes without target in Week 13
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Washington played 34 of the Steelers' 61 snaps on offense and went without a target in Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Cardinals.
Washington has played more than half of the Steelers' snaps on offense in three of the past four contests, but the big-bodied rookie out of Georgia been deployed mainly as a blocking tight end. He's drawn just seven targets over his 12 appearances on the season and will likely see limited involvement as a pass catcher down the stretch, especially now that Pat Freiermuth is back in the fold after a recent stint on injured reserve.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Tallies one catch Sunday
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Washington secured his lone target for eight yards during the Steelers' 13-10 loss to Cleveland on Sunday.
Although Pat Freiermuth returned to action Sunday, Washington continued to see his fair share of playing time, as he was on the field for 47 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps compared to Freiermuth's mark of 53 percent. However, neither tight end was able to generate much production in the low-scoring matchup. It wouldn't be surprising to see Freiermuth's snap count continue to rise as he regains his conditioning, so Washington's fantasy potential could diminish over the next few weeks.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Minimal production in Week 9
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Washington secured his lone target for seven yards during the Steelers' 20-16 win over the Titans on Thursday.
Although Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) remained on injured reserve in Week 9, Washington failed to generate much production in the Steelers' passing game. Although Connor Heyward was limited to just two receptions for 16 yards, he appears to have established himself as Pittsburgh's clear top tight end with Freiermuth unavailable.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: No targets in Week 7
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Washington didn't receive any targets during the Steelers' 24-17 win over the Rams on Sunday.
After Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve ahead of Week 7, it seemed likely that Washington would be in line for an increased workload. However, the rookie played just 53 percent of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps, while second-year tight end Connor Heyward was on the field for 86 percent. Washington should continue to see increased playing time while Freiermuth is sidelined, but as Sunday demonstrated, that role may not come with a significant uptick in targets.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Another large workload on tap
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Washington is in line for a bigger workload Sunday at the Rams with fellow tight end Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) ruled out for the contest, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Washington started from Weeks 2-5, but his snap share didn't surpass 50 percent until the Steelers' last game before a Week 6 bye. In the team's Week 5 win over the Ravens, Freiermuth sat out due to a hamstring issue, and Washington earned 70 percent of the offensive plays. Despite being a regular in the offense all season, Washington doesn't have much to show for it (a 10-yard catch on three targets), while second-year TE Connor Heyward boasts a 5-42-0 line on 10 targets. It remains to be seen when Washington will become more involved in the passing game.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Targeted twice against Baltimore
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Washington failed to secure either of his two targets during the Steelers' 17-10 win over the Ravens on Sunday.
Washington saw increased playing time Sunday with Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) sidelined, as he was on the field for 70 percent of the team's offensive snaps. However, the rookie third-rounder was targeted just twice and was unable to record a reception. The Steelers have a Week 6 bye before a meeting with the Rams on Sunday, Oct. 22, and Washington's role against L.A. will likely depend on whether Freiermuth is able to recover by then.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Could see more looks in Week 5
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Washington could be in store for a larger role Sunday against the Ravens, as fellow tight end Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) has been ruled out.
Freiermuth's absence could lead to larger roles for both Washington and Connor Heyward. Washington has been used primarily for blocking purposes through four games, as the 2023 third-round draft pick out of Georgia has just one catch in his young career.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Records first NFL catch
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Washington secured his lone target for 10 yards during the Steelers' 30-6 loss to Houston on Sunday.
Washington dealt with a knee injury ahead of Sunday's Week 4 tilt, but he was able to suit up against the Texans and recorded a catch for the first time in his professional career. The rookie third-rounder drew praise during offseason activities but has had a minimal role in the passing game to begin the 2023 campaign. The Steelers' offense has struggled mightily to generate much production this year, but Washington could see a slight uptick in usage if Pat Freiermuth's upcoming imaging on his hamstring reveals an issue that will force him to miss time.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Clear of knee injury
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Washington (knee) practiced fully Friday and doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Texans.
Washington didn't practice Thursday but alleviated any fears about his knee injury with a full session Friday. The rookie tight end has played between 38 and 48 percent of offensive snaps in each of Pittsburgh's first three games, but Washington has been used exclusively as a blocker, having yet to garner a target.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Logs DNP on Thursday
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Washington (knee) did not participate in Thursday's practice, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
Washington's knee issue isn't new, but this DNP comes after the rookie tight end wasn't even listed on the injury report Wednesday. His status for Week 4 is now in question. He's been a complete non-factor in the box score through three weeks, failing to draw a single target on 79 offensive snaps.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Upgraded to limited Thursday
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Washington (knee) was limited in Thursday's practice, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
The rookie has yet to earn a target on 23 pass routes through two games and is well off the fantasy radar outside of dynasty formats. Washington's mainly been filling a blocking role.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Not targeted in opener
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Washington wasn't targeted during the Steelers' 30-7 loss to the 49ers on Sunday.
Washington was on the field for 38 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps Sunday, which ranked just ahead of fellow tight end Connor Heyward, who played 27 percent of the snaps. Washington drew praise during offseason activities this year but was limited during the preseason. Pat Freiermuth (chest) exited Sunday's matchup, but Washington's fantasy potential should be limited if Freiermuth is available moving forward.
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Steelers' Darnell Washington: Impresses at minicamp
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Washington drew praise from fellow tight end Pat Freiermuth after minicamp concluded Thursday, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
While Washington indicated that he felt as though he had room to grow following minicamp, Freiermuth praised the rookie's abilities. "He's putting it all together. The past two days he's looked really good," Freiermuth said. Washington was selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but he slid due to concerns over medicals. It seems as though he's moved past those concerns for now, and he'll shift his focus toward competing for a role in the Steelers' offense during training camp next month.
