Jalen McMillan or Mike Washington Jr.: Who Should You Start?
Preliminary board2026 Week 4 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Verdicts sharpen as practice reports land.
Washington is the available choice while McMillan is ruled out
McMillan’s listed ruled-out status ends the comparison: he is not a start, so Washington gets the nod by default, not because his own outlook is strong. Tampa Bay’s report says McMillan was active and could see more snaps, which conflicts with the status on this page (Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2026-09-29). Washington is a healthy change-of-pace back, but his complementary role and limited passing-game involvement leave little room for a useful fantasy ceiling.
What flips it: A confirmed active status for McMillan with the anticipated snap increase.
Sources: Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Sep 29, 2026
AI editor
Jalen McMillan
2.32.93.4 Projected Points
Mike Washington Jr.
3.03.13.2 Projected Points
Mike Washington Jr.’s market
Why Jalen McMillan
SitWR3 with vertical speed and red-zone knack. Injuries limited 2025 sample; upside as third option.
Ruled out — verdict void; pivot to your bench.
- His vertical speed and red-zone knack offer upside if he is cleared and his role grows.
Latest on McMillan
Jalen McMillan is active for a second week in a row and could see an increased number of snaps after being eased in back week following a month-long recovery from a knee injury.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Sep 29, 2026Jenna Laine reports on the injuries the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sustained during their 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Jenna Laine reports on the injuries the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sustained during their 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield suffered a dislocated right thumb in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Vikings, coach Todd Bowles said.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Mike Washington Jr.
SitRookie RB2 in change-of-pace role. Complementary back behind the feature runner with no NFL sample yet.
Sit — bench-tier RB at consensus RB50: 19.0 implied team total caps the ceiling, 1% target share.
- Washington is available, unlike the ruled-out option; his rookie RB2 role still limits the appeal.
Latest on Washington
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Jalen McMillan | Mike Washington Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 2.32.93.4 | 3.03.13.2 |
| Consensus rank | WR57 | RB50 |
| Opponent vs position | GB · 18 of 323-game sample | KC · 13 of 323-game sample |
| Receptions | 26 of 32 | 7 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 18 of 32 | 9 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 15 of 32 | — |
| Targets | 15 of 32 | — |
| Anytime TD | 14 of 32 | 21 of 32 |
| Rushing Yards | — | 7 of 32 |
| Rushing TDs | — | 25 of 32 |
| Rushing Attempts | — | 6 of 32 |
| Target share | 3% | 1% |
| Reception share | 0% | 0% |
| Implied total · spread | 23.0+1.5 | 19.0+5.5 |
| Depth chart | WR3 | RB2 |
| Snap share | 3% | 18% |
| Injury designation | Out | — |
Recent form
Jalen McMillan — last 3 weeks
| Week 3 | vs MIN | 0.00.00.0 |
| Week 2 | vs CLE | 0.00.00.0 |
| Week 1 | vs CIN | 0.00.00.0 |
Mike Washington Jr. — last 3 weeks
| Week 3 | vs NO | 11.411.411.4 |
| Week 2 | vs LAC | 0.70.70.7 |
| Week 1 | vs MIA | 4.14.14.1 |
Signal breakdown
- 3.4 vs 3.2 projected PPR pointsJalen McMillan +
- Rank 57 vs 50Mike Washington Jr. +
- Opponent DvP rank 18 vs 13 (32 = softest)Jalen McMillan +
- Implied 23.0 vs 19.0 team pointsJalen McMillan +
- A ruled-out player cannot be a startMike Washington Jr. +
- 3% vs 18% snap shareMike Washington Jr. +
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