Player: TE Darnell Washington
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: A year and a half into his career, Darnell Washington is starting to fulfill the vision many Steelers fans had for him. While he is not making huge contributions to the passing game, he now has opportunities to make plays. And he continues to develop as a blocker, having arguably the best game of his career last Monday night.
It would be nice if there were simpler means by which one could quantify blocking statistically. You might see a “pancake” stat some random person or outlet keeps but applying that consistently across the NFL is not currently available. And that is a gray area that can be very subjective in certain cases anyway. But I’m still confident Darnell Washington dines on a stack of pancakes more than most tight ends.
Look, it’s just a fact that it’s harder to notice a good block than it is to notice a good catch. In viewing football, the spectator naturally follows the ball, and the blocker doesn’t have it. In that sense, in particular, it’s good to see Darnell Washington seeing more opportunities in the passing game.
Now, Washington only got one target last week, which he secured for a catch and run of 29 yards. But it’s also an accumulation of opportunities that is generally trending upward. In just eight games, he already has more targets than last season. He has 10 catches on 12 targets for 120 yards and a touchdown. And he has made some significant plays, showcasing a hurdle in addition to a stiff arm.
The Steelers are never going to use Darnell Washington as a primary target. With that said, there is nothing stopping him from having 25-30 catches and a few touchdowns per season in addition to his usual blocking. Coming out of the bye week, building a rapport with Russell Wilson, it will be interesting to see how the second half of the season shapes up for him.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
