Mike Washington Jr. has been the more efficient runner in Las Vegas, averaging 4.9 yards per carry while Ashton Jeanty sits at 3.1. The problem is that efficiency has not translated into a bigger role. The rookie has handled just 6.1 touches per game, and his last three outings produced 2.0, 6.0 and 2.7 PPR points. Now the Raiders visit the Jets. Find out whether you should start or sit Mike Washington Jr. in Week 8.
Mike Washington Jr. Start or Sit Advice for Week 8
Washington has made the most of limited work when he gets it. His 4.9 yards per carry on 40 attempts is well above both Jeanty’s 3.1 and the Raiders’ team average of 3.01, and he has broken off a long run of 36 yards with 109 yards after contact. In a backfield struggling to generate anything on the ground, he has been the more productive runner on a per-carry basis.
He has also earned a role near the goal line. Washington has eight red zone carries this season and scored a rushing touchdown, so the Raiders trust him in short-yardage situations at times.
The Jets have given up plenty of opportunities near the end zone. New York has allowed 41 red zone carries to running backs this season, far above the league average of 25.5, along with five rushing touchdowns. Overall, the Jets allow 22.2 PPR points per game to backs, right around the league average of 22.3, and 4.08 yards per carry against a league mark of 4.14. They have faced Green Bay, Tennessee, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, New England and Miami, a group running 15% above league average against them, so their totals are slightly inflated.
The Jets’ front is also banged up. Defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat did not practice this week with a knee injury, and defensive ends Joseph Ossai and David Bailey also sat out practice.
The Biggest Fantasy Risk for Mike Washington Jr. in Week 8
The workload is the core problem. Jeanty dominates this backfield with 60.9% of the carries and 20.0 touches per game, while Washington sits at 23.0% and 6.1 touches. Jeanty also holds 21 red zone carries to Washington’s eight. Even with Jeanty struggling for efficiency, the Raiders have shown no sign of shifting the workload in a meaningful way.
Washington offers nothing in the passing game. He has three catches for 11 yards on six targets this season, while Jeanty has 34 catches for 312 yards. If the Raiders fall behind or lean on the pass, Washington has no route to stay involved.
His production has also been inconsistent and thin. Outside of an 11.4-point game in Week 3, he has not topped 6.0 PPR points in any game this season. His touches have bounced between two and 10 per week, so there is no reliable floor.
Las Vegas’ offense adds another limit. The Raiders are averaging just 74.7 rushing yards per game as a team at 3.01 yards per carry, with only three rushing touchdowns. A secondary back inside a rushing attack this limited has very little margin to produce.
Fantasy Outlook for Mike Washington Jr. in Week 8
Sit Washington in Week 8. His efficiency stands out in a struggling backfield, and the Jets have given up a lot of red zone carries, but Jeanty’s hold on the workload leaves Washington with too few opportunities to trust.
He belongs on benches in nearly all formats. Deep-league managers covering byes from the Giants, Saints, Texans and 49ers can treat him as a touchdown dart throw, but there is little floor if the score does not come.
Washington remains a strong handcuff to keep an eye on. If Jeanty were to miss time, the rookie’s efficiency would make him an immediate fantasy option. For now, he is a bench stash rather than a weekly play.