After cutting Tyreek Hill and sending out Jaylen Waddle in trade, the Miami Dolphins are looking for someone to step up as a number-one receiver.
While the Dolphins drafted three wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft, there’s one guy who seems to be going under the radar – Malik Washington.
Washington spent the first four years of his collegiate career at Northwestern, but it wasn’t until he transferred to Virginia for his final year of eligibility that we saw an incredible breakout.
In 12 games in 2023, Washington recorded an FBS-best 110 receptions and 1,426 receiving yards, with nine touchdowns as well. In that one year, he set the UVA single-season record for catches and receiving yards on his way to second-team All-American honors and being a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist.
After the Dolphins took him in the sixth round (No. 184 overall) in the 2024 NFL draft, he recorded 675 yards from scrimmage with Tua Tagovailoa, Tyler Huntley, Tim Boyle and Quinn Ewers under center.
In his first two seasons, Washington hasn’t been able to produce at a high level. However, playing with multiple quarterbacks and then sitting behind Hill and Waddle on the depth chart means much fewer opportunities. With Malik Willis taking over as the team’s starting quarterback and no legitimate WR1 until proven otherwise, Washington is in the perfect position to deliver.
Though he hasn’t had much production, we’ve seen flashes of what Washington can do, especially after the catch. In 2023 at Virginia, he forced 35 missed tackles, showing his undeniable after-the-catch ability. Washington can be the first and second down go-to guy for Willis, with an opportunity to turn those short gains into long ones.
The Dolphins drafted Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell in the third round, but Bell is in no rush to come back after tearing his ACL in late 2025, and Douglas is a work in progress. Miami also brought in veterans Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert in free agency as competition, but Washington’s explosiveness projects him to beat them out for the WR1 spot.
This upcoming season, Washington could record 750+ yards from scrimmage, which would be more than he totaled in his first two years. If the Dolphins continue to use him on special teams, expect good results from there as well.
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This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Can this Dolphins WR break out in 2026 with Malik Willis at QB?
Reporting by Julio Vasquez, Dolphins Wire / Dolphins Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
