James Washington is a huge wild card for the Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers could have a diamond in the rough at the wide receiver position

When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers, missing a playoff berth is a rarity. But that’s what happened last season, despite the team being in contention for a Wild Card spot entering their regular season finale against the Baltimore Ravens. Head coach Mike Tomlin had the majority of the team running on all cylinders, but their main catalyst for not clinching a postseason berth was the play at the quarterback position.

Ben Roethlisberger was lost early on last season due to an elbow injury. With training camp on the horizon, “Big Ben” appears to be on track to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season. Once he starts under center like the “good old days,” he could have a wild card in his arsenal, and his name is James Washington.

Pittsburgh Steelers always have breakout stars we’re not expecting

Back in 2018, the Steelers used their third-round pick to select Washington out of Oklahoma State. During his four-year collegiate career, Washington was a true deep threat in the Cowboys’ passing attack, as he accumulated 226 receptions for 4,472 yards and 39 touchdowns. You’d think he’d make a huge impact in the NFL right?

Unfortunately, the start of Washington’s pro career wasn’t ideal. Washington was a situational receiver during his rookie campaign, as Pittsburgh rostered the likes of Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Justin Hunter. Good luck trying to climb up the “corporate ladder” with those under employment.

In 2019, Washington showcased his worth after the drama-filled departure of Brown, which subsequently propelled him up the depth chart. Washington played all but one game last season, and he saw an uptick in targets. In 2018, he garnered 38 targets. Last year, the attention nearly doubled with 80 targets.  The thing is, Washington hauled in just 44 of those passes for 735 yards and three touchdowns. Why did that happen? “Big Ben” wasn’t throwing the ball his way.

With Roethlisberger on the sidelines, Tomlin had to rely on Mason Rudolph and Devlin “Duck” Hodges. You’d think Rudolph would have a tremendous chemistry in the NFL, given that they both thrived together at Oklahoma State. That wasn’t the case, as Rudolph failed to show he’s an pro-caliber quarterback. After putting the team in early holes, Tomlin benched Rudolph for Hodges, who was…no better.

Out of those 80 targets, Washington dropped just five of them, per Pro Football Reference. That less than ideal catching percentage was the product of poor quarterback play and the extra attention given to him after Smith-Schuster missed four games due to injuries.

Washington could be Roethlisberger’s favorite target in 2020

Entering training camp, Washington is the second receiver on the depth chart on a relatively solid offense, and will greatly benefit from it. Smith-Schuster will be closely monitored by opposing defenses, for good reason. When healthy, he’s a matchup nightmare. Secondly, the Steelers finally got a quality tight end in the form of Eric Ebron, who’s coming off two great years with the Indianapolis Colts. Additionally, Diontae Johnson will be lining up in the slot and 2020 second-round pick Chase Claypool can come off the bench and serve as a dangerous vertical threat.

There’s only so many offensive players that the opposition can defend. If Washington can take advantage of lapses in defensive judgement, he can easily increase his yardage and touchdown totals from last season. That goal becomes much more attainable now that a two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback is throwing him the ball.

If you happen to be a fantasy football player, Washington is someone you should target in the later rounds of your respective drafts. The reward could be worth it.