Darnell Washington Fantasy Stats

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington had the most productive pass-catching season of his career in 2025, recording 31 catches for 364 yards and a touchdown on 43 targets across 16 games. However, the Steelers have a new playcaller in 2026 in head coach Mike McCarthy, and it appears that Washington's role in his team's passing game has shrunk. Across two games, the 25-year-old has recorded three catches for 25 yards on four targets. Washington has played at least 53% of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps in both contests, but it's been Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth who has emerged as the clear top pass-catching option so far. Barring an injury to Freiermuth, Washington should remain off the radar of fantasy managers.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington stands out for his size at 6-foot-7 and 264 pounds. But in fantasy football leagues, he is not a big target on the waiver wire after the team's Week 1 season-opening win on Sunday over the Atlanta Falcons. The 25-year-old played 64% of the offensive snaps in the opener, with fellow TE Pat Freiermuth playing a team-high 73% of the snaps against Atlanta. Freiermuth had the much better day production-wise, too, catching all five of his targets for 46 yards and the only offensive touchdown of the game for the Steelers. Washington contributed two catches on his two targets for just 18 yards. He did not see a target until the second half as his minimum pass-catching role for the team continues. The former third-rounder from Georgia in 2023 had a career-high 31 catches on 43 targets for 364 yards and just one touchdown in 16 regular-season games in 2025. Washington is unlikely to become fantasy-relevant in two-TE leagues unless Freiermuth misses time with an injury. He is currently rostered in just 1% of Yahoo leagues.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington is coming off the best receiving season of his career, but his redraft outlook has cooled as the preseason has unfolded. Washington caught 31 passes for 364 yards and one touchdown in 16 games last year, then signed a four-year, $42 million extension with Pittsburgh in June. That commitment has not translated into a larger receiving role this summer. Pat Freiermuth remains first on the depth chart, while Washington has just one catch for five yards through two preseason games. Veteran Robert Tonyan has been much more involved, catching six passes for 78 yards over the same stretch after reuniting with Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. Washington still matters plenty to the Steelers because of his blocking, and his 6-foot-7, 264-pound frame gives him some red-zone appeal. The problem for fantasy managers is target volume. Washington drew only 43 targets despite starting 13 games last season, and nothing this August suggests a major jump is coming. RotoBaller ranks him TE36 in half-PPR, leaving him outside the standard redraft mix and better viewed as a deep-league touchdown dart throw.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington caught a career-high 31 passes for 364 yards in 2025, but his activity in Thursday's preseason opener, while many of the team's starters were given the night off, is an indication that he is not viewed as a critical piece of the team's passing attack. Both Washington and sixth-year veteran Pat Freiermuth started the game with Mason Rudolph under center, with the latter catching one of his two targets for two yards while Washington was kept off the stat sheet. One of the most physically imposing players in the league, Washington is a dominant blocker at 6'7" and 264 pounds, but in a Mike McCarthy offense that favors three-receiver sets, he may see his receiving work limited after taking steps forward in that regard under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. At RotoBaller's TE37, Washington should not factor into 2026 draft plans, and with the position as deep as it's ever been, he may not even enter into the streaming conversation as he might have in past seasons.

Pittsburgh Steelers 24-year-old tight end out of Georgia, Darnell Washington, has a massive frame, standing tall at 6'7", 264 lbs., and has shown more involvement in the offense since his rookie campaign, but simply isn't a focal point in this Steelers offense. In 2025, he hauled in 31 of his 43 targets for 364 yards and one touchdown. While his target rate is elite (23.8 percent), his target share (nine percent) is not. He simply isn't seeing the volume and route participation (34 percent) that it takes to be fantasy relevant. 27-year-old Pat Freiermuth projects to be the team's starting tight end and has been involved in the offense much more than Washington, as they've spent the last three seasons on the same team. Additionally, the Steelers brought in Michael Pittman over from Indianapolis, which should only make it more difficult for Washington to see an increase in target share. Fantasy managers will want to look elsewhere at the tight end position when drafting in both dynasty and redraft formats.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington enjoyed the first top 40 fantasy finish of his young career in 2025, but with changes coming to the Steelers offense ahead of his fourth season, his TE38 result could prove to be a high-water mark. After operating with an extra tight end on the field at one of the league's highest rates in 2025, the Steelers have moved on from offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, with new head coach Mike McCarthy set to call plays and expected to heavily utilize three-receiver sets as he has throughout his career. Pittsburgh traded for two-time 1,000-yard receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and spent a second-round pick on Alabama's Germie Bernard, further suggesting a move away from the 2025 offense that ran primarily through its tight ends and running backs. Veteran Jonnu Smith, who led all Steelers tight ends with 57 targets in 2025, remains unsigned, but with Pittsburgh's offseason moves hinting at a de-emphasis on the position, those vacated looks are more likely to be spread among the new wide receivers. With sixth-year veteran Pat Freiermuth the more likely option to be regularly mixed into the passing offense, Washington is not a player drafters will need to target in 2026.

Across 16 games (13 starts) in 2025, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington recorded 31 catches for 364 yards and a touchdown on 43 targets. While Washington's numbers won't jump off the page for fantasy managers, he's slowly become more involved in the Steelers' passing game in each season since being drafted in the third round by the team in 2024. Pittsburgh also made a significant commitment to the 24-year-old this offseason, signing him to a four-year, $42 million contract extension. Pat Freiermuth still profiles as the top receiving tight end in Pittsburgh entering 2026, but the team let tight ends Jonnu Smith and Connor Heyward walk in free agency. In deeper dynasty leagues, Washington could be a buy-low target with some untapped upside for fantasy managers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and tight end Darnell Washington agreed to a four-year, $42 million contract extension on Wednesday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. The hulking 6-foot-7, 264-pounder has developed into a key piece of Pittsburgh's offense after they selected him in the third round (93rd overall) in 2023 out of the University of Georgia. Although the 24-year-old hasn't been on the fantasy football radar, outside of dynasty/keeper leagues, he could have an even bigger role with the Steelers in 2026 after both Jonnu Smith and Connor Heyward left in free agency this offseason. Washington had his best year as a pro in 2025 in Year 3 in the Steel City, catching 31 of his 43 targets for 364 yards and just one touchdown in 16 regular-season games (13 starts). Pat Freiermuth remains the better fantasy target in single-year leagues, but Washington could be a Freiermuth injury away from becoming a weekly TE option for fantasy managers.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington is participating in OTAs, per Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show. The 24-year-old ended the 2025 season on injured reserve after suffering a broken arm in Week 17, but it appears that he's fully healthy and ready to go heading into 2026. Across 16 games before getting injured last season, Washington hauled in 31 receptions for 364 yards and one touchdown on 43 targets. While Washington's numbers were all career-bests, he has not been able to establish himself as a reliable pass-catcher since being selected by Pittsburgh in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. With fellow Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth still in the picture entering 2026, Washington appears unlikely to see a major role change in the upcoming season. Washington currently ranks as RotoBaller's TE40 for redraft leagues.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington is trending in the wrong direction in dynasty fantasy football leagues, and managers could justify dropping him as the post-rookie draft roster crunch approaches. Washington had 31 catches, 364 yards, and one touchdown last year, and we're not convinced he'll be able to surpass those numbers in 2026. Now heading into his fourth year, the odds aren't in Washington's favor. Not only has he failed to live up to expectations through three NFL seasons, but he also has no connection to the new Steelers coaching staff, led by Mike McCarthy. Furthermore, the Steelers brought in competition in the form of fifth-round rookie Riley Nowakowski. Washington should hold onto the No. 2 tight end role (behind Pat Freiermuth and ahead of Nowakowski) initially, but he could end up falling to third as the year goes on. Washington is also heading into a contract year, which could be more incentive for the Steelers to reduce his reps and lean more on Freiermuth and Nowakowski. While free agency could be a much-needed fresh start for Washington next year, he doesn't have the track record needed to sign somewhere as a starting tight end. Therefore, both in the short term and long term, Washington's dynasty outlook is bleak. Managers can absolutely justify dropping him, as he has fallen to TE52 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.