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Mike Washington Jr.
RB · LV

Mike Washington Jr.

Position RB
Team LV
Bye Week 13
PPR Rank #175

Mike Washington Jr.

NFL player. Position: RB. Team: LV.

Quick Facts

  • Position: RB
  • Team: LV (Las Vegas Raiders)
  • Bye week (2026): 13
  • FantasyPros PPR rank (pulled 2026-05-21): 175

2026 Outlook

ELEVATED HANDCUFF VALUE (Aug 23-25, 2026). After Ashton Jeanty suffered a sprained ankle on Aug 23 (confirmed as non-serious by Rapoport and Schefter), Mike Washington Jr.'s dynasty value spiked sharply as the handcuff to a potentially sidelined star. Per Rapoport's Aug 25 update, "there is a chance that Ashton Jeanty may not be on the field for Week 1," creating a Week 1 lead-back opportunity for Washington Jr. if Jeanty's ankle needs more healing. Washington Jr. had a strong preseason (100+ rushing yards across two games) and was already the clear RB2; Rapoport specifically noted the team "is going to see a backup running back that they actually like a lot, and that might not be a bad thing either" when referencing Washington Jr.'s potential Week 1 role. Washington Jr. instantly becomes a viable start in deeper leagues and a critical waiver claim if called upon. Jeanty expected to return to practice sooner than initially feared, limiting Washington Jr.'s ceiling once Jeanty returns (per Ashton Jeanty injury update as Raiders RB leaves practice after awkward landing, Raiders news: Ian Rapoport's harsh 'reality' on Ashton Jeanty's injury status).

Pre-injury outlook: Drafted in Round 4 as a potential complement to Ashton Jeanty to help preserve the star RB from overuse. Coach Klint Kubiak emphasized that while quality backup depth mattered, Jeanty as the best player would remain on field at high snap share (McCaffrey-level usage). Washington Jr. was expected to see opportunities but in a secondary role (per A new Raiders offensive line and the same heavy workload: Ashton Jeanty's Year 2 test).

Washington Jr. is practically a Zach Charbonnet clone (per Just Blog Baby): both 6-foot-1, ~220 pounds, upright runners with long arms, strong athletic profile. From Kubiak's Super Bowl Seahawks team, Charbonnet was the change-of-pace complement to Kenneth Walker III—same dynamic being recreated with Jeanty and Washington Jr. in Las Vegas. Stylistically, Jeanty is patient; Washington Jr. gets to the hole aggressively. Charbonnet improved every year under Kubiak (rookie 450+ yards), suggesting Washington Jr. may follow similar trajectory despite being a backup. Two-back system gives him consistent reps to develop. (per Klint Kubiak lands Zach Charbonnet clone with Arkansas RB Mike Washington Jr.)

FantasyPros analysts note that Klint Kubiak is on record wanting to run an RBBC in Las Vegas, similar to his Seattle Seahawks system with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. With Ashton Jeanty as the obvious starter, Washington Jr. could see a 70/30 or 65/35 touch split—positioning him as an immediate viable option or strong bye-week replacement for needy fantasy teams (per 10 Dynasty Rookie Draft Values to Target (2026 Fantasy Football)).

This clear deployment path under Kubiak's proven system makes Washington Jr. one of the more predictable backup RBs in the 2026 draft class, reducing deployment uncertainty (per 10 Dynasty Rookie Draft Values to Target (2026 Fantasy Football)).

Training camp standout (Aug 12): Washington Jr. has emerged as a standout performer in early preseason work, earning praise from RBs coach Omar Young for his offseason preparation and work ethic. Head coach Klint Kubiak noted Washington Jr. as "a self-motivated young man" who puts in the work required. Critically, Washington Jr. has been splitting snaps with the first and second team during team periods—a strong early sign suggesting he could earn a larger workload than typical for a fourth-rounder. Listed as No. 2 RB on the unofficial depth chart released before preseason games, he's positioned to see heavy snaps in the preseason as Jeanty receives managed workload (per CNY native Mike Washington Jr. turning heads at Raiders camp ahead of preseason debut).

Kubiak's Seahawks system favored Kenneth Walker III / Zach Charbonnet two-back rotation; Washington Jr. appears positioned for similar opportunity share as Charbonnet earned in that system, suggesting real fantasy relevance as a potential bye-week fill or flex in deeper leagues if early-season role materializes (per CNY native Mike Washington Jr. turning heads at Raiders camp ahead of preseason debut).

Through Week 2 of the preseason, Washington Jr. has been a standout, averaging 7.9 yards per attempt. In Week 1 he rushed for 63 yards on six carries including a 53-yard explosive run. In Week 2 he added 56 yards on nine carries with a 33-yard long run. This strong preseason performance positions him as a clear change-of-pace option behind starter Ashton Jeanty heading into the regular season. (per 10 NFL Rookies Drafted Outside First Round Exceeding Expectations)

Week 2 preseason (Aug 24): In preseason Week 2 against Arizona, Washington Jr. continued to operate as the clear RB1 in Jeanty's absence, playing with the second-team offense. He ceded just three snaps to Dylan Laube (all passing plays), reinforcing his role as the priority handcuff should Jeanty's ankle sprain keep him sidelined into the regular season. (per 2026 NFL Preseason Week 2 Fantasy Takeaways: Mike Washington Jr. rises)

Updated Aug 28: Head coach Klint Kubiak confirmed that both Washington and Jeanty will "prepare to play a lot of football" in a 1-2 punch approach. Kubiak stated "I'm not making any promises on percentages of play time" but indicated both backs will see meaningful touches as games unfold, with the workload distributed based on game flow and performance. As of Aug 25, Washington Jr. had already risen more than a round in ADP before the Jeanty injury news broke—driven by his explosive preseason performance. He's totaled 119 yards on 15 carries with two catches for 18 yards, ripping off runs of 53 and 33 yards. At 6'2" 228 pounds with a 4.33 40-yard dash, he's tied with DK Metcalf for second-fastest by a 6'+ 220lb player in Combine history. Now that Jeanty is dealing with uncertainty, Washington is a must-have backup in double-digit rounds—don't be surprised if he's the sneakiest RB1 of the first few weeks should Jeanty miss time (per ESPN: Mike Washington may have earned larger role - NBC Sports, 2026 Fantasy Football: Mike Washington Jr., Cam Ward among biggest ADP risers, fallers...).

Role / Depth Chart

RB2 / change-of-pace back. Operating in a 1-2 punch system with Ashton Jeanty per Kubiak's Seahawks model. Likely 65/35 to 70/30 touch split favoring Jeanty. Strong preseason performance positions Washington Jr. as a consistent backup with flex upside in deep leagues or bye-week role.

Recent News

Open Questions

(scoped to this player — pulled from Fantasy Football Open Questions)

Coaches shaping Mike's role

Klint KubiakHead CoachAndrew JanockoOffensive CoordinatorMario JeberaeelOffensive Run Game CoordinatorBen WilkersonAssistant Offensive LineOmar YoungRunning BacksRick DennisonOffensive Line

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