Each NFL team’s biggest breakout candidate
By Conor Dorney
Pittsburgh Steelers – James Washington
As Ben Roethlisberger voiced his frustration over the Steelers early selection of a quarterback via the 2018 NFL Draft, it was another offensive draft selection who could wind up being a valuable weapon as a rookie next season.
The Steelers shipped the much-maligned Martavis Bryant to Oakland in a trade, but soon after found his replacement with the selection of Oklahoma State standout James Washington in the third round.
Washington put up eye-popping numbers while catching passes from fellow Pittsburgh draftee Mason Rudolph, eclipsing 1,000 yards and ten touchdowns in each of his final three seasons with the Cowboys. He’s an explosive downfield threat and should immediately be able to step into the role vacated by Bryant.
Many talent evaluators had a not-so-great view of this draft’s receiving class, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Washington ends up being the best of the bunch. Pittsburgh got outstanding value out of rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster last season and they’re hoping to find similar lightning in a bottle with Washington. One thing for sure is that alongside Antonio Brown and Smith-Schuster, Washington will have plenty of opportunities to show off his ability to win one-on-one matchups down the field.