The Dolphins have one of the weakest receiver rooms in the NFL and they are already dealing with some injuries heading into Week 3. Caleb Douglas ($3,900), who has been Miami’s leading receiver with seven catches for 113 yards, sprained his ankle in last Sunday’s blowout loss to the 49ers and is trending towards not playing this Sunday vs. the Chiefs after missing practice Wednesday and Thursday.
Fellow rookie Chris Bell ($3,400) is also dealing with a knee injury and after being a limited participant at practice Wednesday, he was “mostly working on the side” at practice Thursday, per Sun Sentinel’s David Furones.
With Douglas likely to be inactive and Bell possibly joining him on the sidelines this Sunday, Malik Washington ($4,200) will be the clear, main pass catcher for the Dolphins. But, is he worth considering for fantasy?
Washington’s Week 3 Outlook
While Bell hasn’t done much this season, catching just 1-of-3 targets, Douglas is handling a 20% target share, so his likely absence creates a notable void for the Dolphins.
Washington is already leading Miami with a 26% target share and 92% route rate, and with Douglas missing from the picture, Washington’s target share could reach new heights around 30%.
Miami’s home opener is this Sunday vs. the Chiefs and the 0-2 Dolphins are a 10.5-point underdog on DraftKings Sportsbook. Miami is going to have to throw at a high clip and Washington should be the primary beneficiary.
While Kansas City is a brutal matchup – it is allowing the sixth-fewest yards per pass this season (6.6) – Washington may see double-digit targets and with that type of volume, he has to be considered for DFS at only $4,200 on DraftKings, that he could surpass with around 15 FPTS – he scored 10+ FPTS three times last season, despite handling just a 10.3% target share.
For season-long leagues, you more than likely have a better option than Washington, but if in a very deep league and need help at receiver, taking a flier on the 25-year-old makes sense.
