WR Camp Battles To Watch For Fantasy Football: Will Malik Washington Command The Targets In Miami?

After a whirlwind of transactions this offseason, there are plenty of question marks looming over the WR room for multiple teams this year, creating plenty of camp battles worth monitoring heading into draft season. Including a slew of names looking to step up as Miami’s WR1, as well as a competition in San Francisco to see who will be their WR2.

WR Camp Battles to Watch for Fantasy Football

A Battle for Targets in Miami

After gutting out their roster with clear intentions of tanking this season, there is an open competition to see who will step up as Miami’s WR1, pitting Malik Washington against Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell. It may not be pretty, but regarding fantasy, usage is king, and any chance to haul in a high volume of targets will instantly elevate whoever wins the job up the draft boards.

Malik Willis has also quietly been one of the more efficient arms in the league when given the opportunity, leading all QBs in EPA and in CPOE while hovering in the top-10 in success rate. A surgical arm, Willis is capable of hitting his pass catchers in stride while simultaneously avoiding high Havoc situations.

If the Dolphins' offensive line can hold their ground this season, then their offense may be able to keep them competitive before inevitably crumbling, giving their WR1 enough usage to make them a valuable asset in fantasy. Expect Washington to run away with the job, yet keep an eye out for any camp updates in case we need to pivot to someone else should they dethrone him.

Robin to Mike Evans' Batman

With Jauan Jennings gone and Brandon Aiyuk holding out until he gets traded, the WR2 is open for the taking with Mike Evans heavily expected to be their WR1. George Kittle’s injury opens up even more targets for the San Francisco 49ers' supporting cast to take advantage of, making whoever is Brock Purdy’s secondary option an intriguing option in upcoming drafts.

Heading into training camp, Ricky Pearsall is projected to win the job, yet will need to hold off Christian Kirk after he signed a one-year deal this offseason. Pearsall was far more efficient than Kirk with his targets last season, comfortably leading his newly acquired teammate in EPA and in catch percentage. It is also worth noting the 49ers pushed their chips in to acquire De’Zhaun Stribling early in the second round of the NFL Draft, a potential dark horse for the job.

Where the camp battle gets really murky is if the 49ers and Aiyuk come to a miraculous agreement after a hectic offseason, plummeting Pearsall, Kirk and Stribling’s fantasy football ADP in the process. Even though GM John Lynch has reported that Aiyuk has played his final snap, nothing is off the table until he is cut or traded.

Hard to Ignore Watson’s Injury History

Fresh off extending Christian Watson and Jayden Reed, there is no clear answer for who will be Jordan Love’s WR1 heading into the regular season. When healthy, Watson has made the most of his opportunities as the Green Bay Packers' primary downfield threat by ranking sixth overall in yards per route run, yet injuries continue to keep him off the field.

Watson’s poor health is to the benefit of Jayden Reed, nearly matching his teammates’ output in EPA while clearing him in catch rate. If Reed can continue to build a strong rapport with Love while Watson is in and out of the lineup, then take advantage of his ADP at a discount, potentially giving you a viable WR1 if Watson goes down with another injury during the regular season.

Players Mentioned in this Article

MalikWashington
WRMIA
PPG
5.5
Proj
97.5
RickyPearsall
WRSF
PPG
6.4
Proj
128.3
JaydenReed
WRGB
PPG
7.5
Proj
161.3

Published Jun 19, 2026, 6:55 AM ET

WR Camp Battles To Watch For Fantasy Football: Will Malik Washington Command The Targets In Miami?

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