The 2016 rookie running back class was chock full of surprises. One of the biggest stories in the Oakland camp was that former Texas Tech back, DeAndre Washington is getting some first team reps. Some fantasy pundits may discount him due to his size, but this is a talented back who might be poised to make an impact in year one. After reviewing his games against TCU, Oklahoma State (2014), UTEP (2014), and the Senior Bowl game and practices, here are my thoughts him.
RB – DeAndre Washington, Oakland former Texas Tech 5′ 8″ 204 lbs.
Cons:
The first thing that jumps out is his size. Washington is not a large man at 5′ 8″ 204 lbs. and he is physically maxed out of his frame. Will he have enough quicks at the NFL level to make up for his size? He has some ball security issues as well, fumbling five times his senior year. Although, that wasn’t an issue until this past season (one fumble per season before this one), but it is still a concern and something to monitor as he makes his transition. How much of his production is a result of the Texas Tech offensive scheme versus the back’s natural talents? The major thing that concerns me is Washington goes down quickly once a defender makes contact. At the NFL level, rushers need to always keep their legs churning.
Pros:
Washington has amazing balance with great body bend that makes it easy for him to squirt out of small openings at the line of scrimmage and run to daylight. He was blessed with quick, bouncy feet that help him accelerate out of breaks, which makes it harder to contain him. The young Raider back moves with amazing lateral agility (might be faster side to side than straight ahead), jump cuts with ease, and has the vision to find the cutback lane to make the defense pay. Additionally, the start/stop ability that he has makes him extremely dangerous in the open field or when following his blockers. Washington sets defenders up with spins, hurdles, shoulder shakes, and even stiff-arms to create separation in space.
Despite his size, he is a solid goal-line/short yardage back who gets low in the hole, while finding a way to fall forward. When it comes to the passing game, this back has some great experience. He anchors and steps up to take on defenders rushing the passer. As a receiver, Washington has soft hands and can get into the flat in a hurry. The newly minted Oakland back has over 120 catches in his college career, so he is more seasoned than most in the passing game. This will help him see the field quickly, considering that Latavius Murray is not an above average receiving back.
Overall Thoughts:
There is a lot to like in Washington’s game, but his size and inflated college scheme cause a few concerns. He reminds me of a bigger Chris Thompson (Washington’s third down back), so don’t invest too much fantasy capital as I have a feeling the Raiders will invest in the 2017 class for their feature back needs. Having said that, he could certainly offer some sneaky production at some point in 2016.
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