Nate Washington

Washington got off to a slow start for Tennessee in 2014, but came on late when Zach Mettenberger took over as quarterback. To that point in the season, we wondered if the 31-year-old was done, but it turns out the Titans weren’t a very good team. Washington will be part of the solution to replace the released Andre Johnson; the other part is Cecil Shorts. Those two figure to be get the most looks opposite DeAndre Hopkins as the team’s No. 2 wide receiver. However, the Texans are expected to repeat the attack favored last season – that of a run-heavy team relying on Arian Foster – so on any given week Washington (or Shorts) could put up paltry numbers.

Perched atop the Titans wide receiver depth chart by default, Washington’s a competent receiver with good speed and solid hands (he did not drop a single one of his 105 targets last year). Holding onto the ball helped Washington average 8.8 YPT (13th), and he made occasional plays down the field (three catches of 40-plus yards). But at 6-1, 183, Washington’s slight frame is poorly suited to red-zone work – only five targets there all year. In 2014, Washington should largely reprise last season’s role, and he’s reunited with former Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt as his head coach. Washington’s merely a placeholder, though, for a bigger, more athletic downfield threat like teammate Justin Hunter to emerge as the team’s true No. 1.

Washington repeated his passable 2011 efficiency last year, only on fewer targets, due to the emergence of rookie Kendall Wright. After the Titans drafted Justin Hunter in the second round this year, it's possible Washington will be plying his trade elsewhere. Wherever he winds up, the 6-1, 177-pound Washington is a slight, but fast outside receiver who's capable of getting behind defenses, but lacks the bulk needed to be a red-zone factor. Moreover, he'll turn 30 in August, and it's possible he's lost half a step. If he stays in Tennessee, he'd likely need another Kenny Britt injury to be relevant, and even then, the Titans are suddenly deep at the position.

Very quietly, Washington was the 16th most valuable receiver last year in standard leagues. Some of that was likely due to Kenny Britt missing most of the year with a torn ACL, but Washington was productive during the two weeks when Britt was healthy. At 6-1, 177, and with good speed, Washington is a mostly an outside deep threat. He had six catches of 40-yards or more (tied for 7th) and averaged 8.5 YPT in a below average passing game. He wasn’t targeted much in the red zone, however, something that’s not likely to change given his slight frame. Heading into 2012, Britt should be back, (though he had to undergo a minor follow-up surgery in May), the Titans drafted WR Kendall Wright in the first round and second-year quarterback Jake Locker is eventually set to take over as the team’s starter. Still, Washington should see regular targets, and he actually had his best yardage game (130) of the year when Locker started in Week 14. Washington had a minor surgery in April to repair a chipped bone in his knee, but should be completely healthy for the start of training camp.

Washington signed a surprisingly big contract before the 2009 season and has since proven he's more of a complementary target than a No. 1. Kenny Britt has already surpassed him as the team's big-play threat, and when Britt went down last year, the team was desperate enough to bring in Randy Moss. Washington is fast, but he doesn't have the size or strength to be a red-zone threat. With Moss announcing his retirement from the NFL, Washington will be in the mix and could even be the team's top wideout target temporarily if Britt were suspended. But that would probably mean a lot of Chris Johnson and short throws to the tight ends.

Washington was signed as a free agent before last year with the expectations of being a number one big-play receiver, but was a disappointment. He had trouble holding onto the ball and ended the year with average numbers. He comes into 2010 as the number one option but has competition from both Justin Gage and Kenny Britt. He needs to improve holding onto the ball in key situations or else he may never be the big play receiver his speed and agility should allow him to be.

Washington didn’t put up gaudy numbers with the Steelers last year (40 catches, 631 yards, three touchdowns) but on the plus side, now that he is with the Titans, he’ll no longer be working in the shadows of Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. Make no mistake, Tennessee is a run-first team, but QB Kerry Collins can still throw the deep ball in a pinch and Washington has the wheels to go and get it, so the occasional big play to keep opposing defenses on their heels could be in order.

Washington has been a dependable backup wideout for Pittsburgh for the last two years, grabbing four touchdowns in 2006 and upping the total to five in 2007. He will enter this season as the Steelers' third wideout but will eventually be pushed by second-round pick Limas Sweed. Though he does seem to have a knack for the endzone, he likely won't be reliable enough to be used as more that a bye-week filler in most leagues.

Washington was kind of a pet project with former head coach Bill Cowher, who plucked the wide receiver out of a small college and onto the Steelers' roster. His play has been spotty and inconsistent, with Washington dropping a high percentage of his targets in 2006. A lot of things will have to break right for Washington to find himself on the fantasy radar screen. He finished third on the team with 35 catches for 624 yards and four TDs last year.

Washington, a product of small-college Tiffin, is turning heads and opening eyes at training camp. The second-year receiver has the odds stacked against him. Pittsburgh drafted receivers in the first round (Santonio Holmes) and third round (Willie Reid). That said, Washington took advantage of his limited opportunity in 2005, catching a pair of third-down passes against Denver in the AFC Championship game. He's a longshot but worth keeping an eye on.