DeAndre Washington recently signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s admittedly a fantasy afterthought who doesn’t provide consistent fantasy production on a week-to-week basis, but dynasty leagues are about more than just the weekly impact or value of a player.
Past Production
If you weren’t dialed in to the 2019 season, Washington played for the Oakland Raiders before their move to Las Vegas. He was the backup to the backup, playing behind Josh Jacobs and Jalen Richard. Washington played all 16 games racking up 108 carries for 387 yards with 36 receptions for 292 yards and three total touchdowns. He’s as sure-handed as they come, finishing 2019 with a 90% catch rate.
Let’s not kid ourselves, Washington hasn’t been anything but a role player and largely fantasy irrelevant, but he didn’t receive many opportunities in his four years in Oakland. 2019 was the first season he logged over 100 carries and only the second time he had more than 40 targets. But he’s more successful than you’d think averaging seven yards per reception and seven yards after the catch. We know how creative Andy Reid has been with all different kinds of running backs; he made Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware fantasy relevant.
Not only has Washington shown success on the field, albeit inconsistent, he’s also proven to be a valuable fantasy asset at times. Plenty of dynasty owners can attest to the fact that Washington helped them win championships last year. He averaged 7.6 fantasy points per game over the entire season but 16.4 over the last four games, leading right into the fantasy playoffs and championships. He scored over 18 points in three of the last four while Josh Jacobs was sidelined. Damien Williams, the current starter, has missed significant time in Kansas City opening up some opportunity for Washington late in the year when dynasty owners make transactions that win leagues, like holding or selling DeAndre Washington.
Impact on KC Backfield
So, how does this signing impact the rest of the Kansas City running backs?
Damien Williams
As previously mentioned, Damien Williams is what I would deem injury prone. He’s suffered shoulder, knee, and rib injuries and hasn’t been reliable due to his fragility. Washington isn’t going to take any noticeable amount of work from Williams but he is a useful handcuff considering his propensity for getting injured.
Darwin Thompson/Darrel Williams/Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Washington may have more of an effect on the second year running backs than anything else. He’s going to cut into their playtime and, therefore, their development. It also indicates Andy Reid’s reservations about Darwin Thompson‘s and Darrel Williams’ ability to succeed. Reid and the Cheifs did select Clyde Edwards-Helaire at the end of the first round of the NFL Draft but he’s going to take time to develop pass protection skills and adjust to the speed of the NFL. Picking a running back in the first round is more an indictment on Damien Williams than anything else.
Dynasty Outlook
DeAndre Washington isn’t the sexiest player to have on your dynasty roster and I’m certainly not putting this out there to convince you to go buy him up in all your leagues. He’s unique in that he’s proven his value as a backup and handcuff, and is in a situation where he could easily end up playing significant time again. The Raiders selected a running back in the first round last year just like Kansas City and still ended up feeding Washington late in the season. He was given 40 carries over the final two weeks. I’m sure you could imagine a world where Williams and or Clyde Edwards-Helaire are sidelined in the final few weeks while Washington cleans up.
Again, this isn’t a call to spend capital to acquire Washington right now, but a reminder of who he is and what he can provide. Don’t drop him from your roster, hold on to him and wait until someone on a playoff run needs a running back. Or perhaps the Damien Williams owner is down a running back because he suffered an injury and is desperate in the final weeks. There’s an opportunity for him to help your dynasty team, that’s been demonstrated, but there is also an opportunity to sell for considerable value in the right circumstances.
Thank you for reading. If you have any thoughts or would like to discuss, you can find me on Twitter @WillieBeamanDFF.
